Riley's Promise
by Reffy
Summary: A good friend should always keep a promise, right? Riley made a promise that she'd stay away from Spot Conlon. He was Brooklyn's infamous bad boy, but she was curious. We all want what we can't have... Temptation can be powerful.
1. The Promise

"Bonnie, I'm so sick of doing this." A young girl whined as she sat down on the steps outside of a Brooklyn apartment building.

Her name was Riley, she was 17 years old and stood at only 5'2. She was a very attractive Italian, with chocolate brown hair running past her shoulders, and her brown eyes that always had a gold sparkle to them. But not today.

Riley looked over at her friend Bonnie and was met with a look of aggravation.

"Hun, you knew moving in would be a pain in the ass." Bonnie replied knowingly, staring down at Riley sitting on the steps.

"I didn't know you were at the top floor." Riley whined once more.

"Stop your crying." Bonnie said as she rolled her eyes. "One more box, let's go."

Bonnie attempted to pull Riley off of the stairs but it was no help.

"Riley!"

"Fine, fine... I'm up. I'm going. Fine." Riley said quickly as she picked herself up and walked down to the street where the remaining box was sitting. Probably filled with more of her clothes.

"There ya go." Bonnie said, trying to hold back her amusement as she watched Riley walk up the steps with the heavy box in her arms and her hair falling in her face. Riley let out a moan of frustration as she entered the building.

Bonnie was taller than Riley, but they were a lot alike. Her hair was the same shade as Riley's, but her eyes were dark green, given to her by her Irish mother.

Growing up with money, they had a beautiful wardrobe that was the envy of every girl in the city, but today they were dressed comfortably. Riley wore her favorite fitted black pants with a long-sleeved shirt that buttoned in the front, made of cotton that was worn from wear. It was a pale blue and fit in all the right places.

Bonnie sat down where Riley was a few minutes ago, took a deep breath, and relaxed in the sun. She was relieved that Riley had finally made the move from Staten Island to Brooklyn. Bonnie lived alone, and was supported by her upper class parents who lived in Long Island. Just like Riley, she wore her favorite clothes to dress down in.

"Done!" Riley said happily as she sat down next to Bonnie after her trip to the top floor.

"Finally."

"Yeah, and with no help from you!"

"I moved a box!" Bonnie replied defensively.

"There were 7 of them!" Riley answered, her bright smile showing that she was happy that she made the move to Brooklyn also.

Bonnie and Riley met in school when they were younger. Riley's parents moved to different parts of New York, but she was able to complete a few years in the private school that Bonnie attended most of her life.

"Is this street always this crowded? I don't think I've ever seen it empty." Riley observed. Bonnie looked around and shrugged her shoulders.

"You get use to it I suppose." Bonnie replied quietly.

"Guess so." Riley said, looking at a group of teenagers walking down the street. They were obviously in a rush to get somewhere. Bonnie stood up.

"Riles, come inside." Bonnie said, tugging on Riley's arm.

"Why?" Riley asked, unaware of what was going on.

"See that boy right there? The one in the front?" Bonnie asked, looking in the direction of him. Riley stood up to see better.

Riley looked over and saw him. He obviously had some reputation for Bonnie to act so different. He was the best looking boy Riley had ever seen, but there was something about him that made chills run down her spine.

"Who is he?" Riley asked.

"That's Spot Conlon. Stay away from him, Riles. He's bad news around here."

Riley watched as the boy walked closer to them, her eyes never leaving him.

"Keep talkin'..." Riley replied.

"He's the leader of the newsies in Brooklyn. Not only is he dangerous, but he gets with all the girls around here, too." Bonnie said.

Riley glanced up at her friend and bit her lip. There was something in her eyes that wasn't right. She turned her attention back to the boy.

"How do you know?" Riley asked, mesmerized by his looks.

When Bonnie didn't answer, Riley turned her head to look at her.

"What happened between you and Spot, Bons?" Riley asked softly. Bonnie met Riley's stare and shook her head, obviously not in the mood to talk about it.

"Promise me you'll stay away from him." Bonnie said quietly, looking back over to Spot as he walked by them.

Riley didn't answer. Instead, she looked at Spot and slightly tilted her head to the side. Why was he so dangerous? Why did she have to stay away from him?

At that moment, Spot turned his head and met Riley's stare. He looked her up and down, and then continued walking forward.

Riley's heart was pounding, and she could feel it. There was something about this Brooklyn boy... And she wanted to know more about him.

"Do you promise, Riley?" Bonnie asked as Spot continued to walk away from them.

Riley watched his back as she lost sight of him in the crowd.

"I promise." She said quietly, biting her bottom lip once again.

Curiosity always got the best of Riley. Some promises had to be broken, no matter how hard you try to keep them.

**. . Thought of this a while ago & now I'm gonna write it! Review with your opinion – should I keep going with it?**

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	2. Mystery Manhattan

The next morning, Riley and Bonnie were exhausted. After unpacking the ridiculous amount of things Riley brought with her, the girls were relaxing outside on the steps. While Bonnie had the day to rest, Riley only had an hour until she started her new job.

"So where are you working again?" Bonnie asked. Her head was rested against the railing as she watched the people on the street.

Riley was eating from a bag of grapes and took in her new surroundings. "The Romano Lounge… My father arranged it with Mr. Romano, the man who owns it… It's right down the street so atleast I won't get lost." She replied proudly with a smile on her face.

"No offense, Riles, but you will probably get lost anyway." Bonnie said jokingly. She ducked out of the way as Riley threw a grape at her.

"EXTRA! RAGING FIRE IN CENTRAL PARK – HUNDREDS OF BURN VICTIMS!"

Both of the girls turned their attention to a boy who was shouting the headlines in the street. Riley popped another grape in her mouth, while Bonnie raised an eyebrow.

"He's cute, who is he?" Riley asked as she got a closer look at the boy. He was tall and handsome with a red bandana tied around his neck.

"I've never seen him around here before." Bonnie suspiciously replied as she watched his every move.

Riley smirked when she noticed the interest her friend had for this mysterious boy. "Go talk to him."

Bonnie turned to Riley. She saw the look on her face and knew it meant trouble. "Riley…" Bonnie warned.

"C'mon, buy a paper from him!" Riley pleaded.

"No! Riley, I can't just…" Bonnie was cut off by a grape bouncing off of her forehead.

"Go." Riley ordered. She smiled when Bonnie took a deep breath and stood up.

Bonnie straightened her dress and caught the penny Riley tossed her. With a wink from Riley and one more deep breath, Bonnie walked slowly to the newsboy and tapped him on the shoulder.

The boy turned around and smiled.

"Well can I buy a newspaper or what?" Bonnie said sweetly.

"Ofcourse, Miss, my apologies." He replied politely, handing her a paper. Bonnie gave him the money, then eyed him suspiciously.

"I've never seen you around here before." Bonnie said, not even glancing at the newspaper in her hand.

"That's because I'm from Manhattan, and haven't had the privilege of selling to a beautiful girl like yourself till today." The boy replied flirtatiously, flashing her a smile that would make any girl melt.

"Well what brings you to these parts?" She asked casually, blushing at his compliment.

"Just visiting a friend that lives around here. The name's Jack. Jack Kelly."

"Bonnie." She replied as Jack held her hand to his lips and gently kissed it.

Riley rolled her eyes from her seat on the stairs and ate another grape.

"Tell me, Jack…" Bonnie began casually. "You're from Manhattan? I lived in Manhattan when I was little."

"Really? Where?"

"I actually lived right on top of a bakery… Anthony's Bakery. It was a big brick building right next to the.."

"The park! Yea, I know that bakery!" Jack exclaimed.

As interesting as it was to watch her friend flirt with a newsboy, Riley decided to go inside and get ready for work.

Her assigned outfit for work was already given to her. She put on the black pants and the tight white shirt that was collared and buttoned in the front. She put on the small black vest over her shirt and pinned her hair half up, allowing the rest to fall down her back and over her shoulders. Finishing with her makeup and slipping on her black shoes, Riley skipped down the stairs and out the door. To her surprise, Bonnie and the boy were still talking.

Riley bit her lip to keep from laughing and walked towards them.

"Going to work, Bons." Riley said happily as she passed them. Bonnie grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"Jack Kelly, I'd like you to meet my roommate – Riley Cardoni."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Jack Kelly." Riley said sweetly, extending her hand.

"My pleasure." Jack replied amusingly as he shook her hand.

"If you'll excuse me, I haveto go be a working girl." Riley said politely. She gave Bonnie an approving look and walked away.

Bonnie laughed at the look on Jack's face. "Her first job." She explained, answering all of Jack's questions at once.

Ofcourse it occurred to Riley that this Jack Kelly boy probably knew this Spot Conlon she saw the night before, but she quickly shook the thought from her head. There were plenty of men in Brooklyn. Why hasn't she forgotten about him yet?

**. . . Short Chapter, but I'm almost done with the next one and it's a big turn of events – TRUST ME. Review with some opinions, I would absolutely love to hear them! Thanks a lot for the reviews… I really wish I could do shout-outs. E-mail or IM me if you have any questions or suggestions! Click on my name for the info.**


	3. Attack

Riley practically stumbled out the side door of Romano's Lounge, and into the dark alley.

She liked working. Meeting new people, flirting with the handsome young men she served alcohol to, laughing with the other girls she worked with – It was new to her, and she enjoyed it. By the end of the night Riley figured out the only downside to her new job as she took in a deep breath of fresh air – It was tiring, and she was exhausted. Riley had to stay late to clean up, and was finally allowed to leave when the other waitress who stayed said she would finish up.

It was well past midnight as she walked alongside the building towards the street, running her soft fingers against the brick. Riley was thankful her apartment wasn't too far of a walk from there. It was quiet, almost too quiet, so she quickened her pace out of the darkness of the alley. It was then that she heard a noise that made her whole body jump in fear.

The noise came from directly across the street, in another alley between two buildings. The sound of voices made Riley step back into the darkness of the alley to hide.

Pressing herself against the cold brick, Riley felt her whole body shake when she realized what she was hearing. It was a thud, painful groaning, the quick breaths of men who were kicking and punching. It was a fight. She saw their shadows from across the street, a body was on the ground and was surrounded by its attackers. The street was empty and quiet, echoing the sounds from the alley that Riley's eyes were fixed on. She tried not to breathe. She didn't move.

Riley wanted to turn around and run back to the side door of the Lounge, but her whole body stiffened when the noises were silenced. The painful groans from the body stopped, the beating had ended. She pressed her cheek on the brick and closed her eyes tight, afraid to move, praying not to be seen by the men.

"Is he dead?"

Riley opened her eyes at the sound of a voice. The men were hovering over the limp and beaten body they were kicking.

"Yah, the bastard's dead. What do we do with him, boss?" Another voice came from the alley.

"Leave him," A man replied, walking out onto the street. "We're done here."

Riley let out a frightened gasp. It was him! The familiar face turned to the alley she was standing in.

Spot Conlon. The name still rang in her ears from when Bonnie pointed him out the day before. She had said he was dangerous. Spot Conlon was bad news. The lifeless body in the alley proved it.

Spot Conlon saw her. Riley's body went numb when she saw the fire in his eyes. She pulled her face from the brick and tried to catch her breath, but she couldn't breathe. His eyes terrified her. They were like ice.

"Shit… Spot…!" One of the other men yelled, also noticing Riley as they followed their leader onto the street.

Spot Conlon put up his hand to silence him. Now all five men who were with him in the alley turned their attention to her.

Riley pulled herself off of the brick wall and stood paralyzed in the opening of the alley. Spot Conlon's stare was intense and it made her shake, but she knew what she had to do – run.

Riley was far from stupid. It was obvious that running back into the alley would get her caught. The empty street was silent, but she couldn't get herself to scream. Riley opened her mouth in fear, then closed it again.

Finally getting the feeling back in her legs, Riley took off down the street. She heard some footsteps begin to chase her, but was too scared to look back.

She kept running even after she heard Spot Conlon order his men not to run after her. She ran for 10 minutes down the dark and empty street until she reached the steps to her apartment.

Running up the stairs, Riley looked at the empty street. Spot Conlon did not want to capture her. Riley ran up the stairs to the top floor, turned her key to unlock the door, and slammed it shut behind her. She was dizzy and gulped for air as she slid down to the ground, making sure to lock the door before she did.

Riley wiped the tears from her cheeks. She didn't even know that she was crying. Once she caught her breath, Bonnie's absence from their apartment became clear to her. Getting up from the floor, Riley found a note on the table that was sitting by the door.

Riles,

Went to Manhattan with Jack Kelly to see my old neighborhood! I'll probably be back before you're home.

Love, Bonnie.

After reading the note, Riley noticed her hands were still shaking. She sat on a chair and pulled her legs to her chest, holding onto them tightly. It wasn't long until she heard laughter coming from outside the door. Bonnie took out her key and unlocked it, opening it and smiling at Riley on the chair. The newsboy Jack Kelly stood behind her.

"Riley! How was your first night at work?" Bonnie asked cheerfully.

"I'm tired." Riley replied quietly, no emotion in her voice. "I'm going to bed."

"Okay…Good night, Riles!" Bonnie called to her as Riley closed the door to her room. It was obvious Bonnie had been drinking. Riley knew she'd hear an interesting story in the morning.

Riley changed into her nightgown and sat down on her bed, taking the pins out of her hair. She heard Bonnie talk to Jack for a few more minutes before he left. Letting out a long sigh, Riley got under the covers and hugged her pillow to her chest.

Those eyes were haunting her. She shuddered at the thought. Riley had seen something horrible. She had witnessed a man being beaten to death.

Riley had her second encounter with the Leader of Brooklyn.

Spot Conlon was dangerous, but why did he stop his men from chasing her? Who was that man in the alley? Why was he attacked? So many questions were popping up in her head, all of them begging for answers. Among all of this, she found herself thinking of one boy as she drifted off into a restless sleep.

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	4. Spot Conlon

"Okay, tell me what happened last night with Mr. Jack Kelly." Riley hinted, smirking at her friend.

Bonnie smiled lazily, pulling her pillow up to her face as the color rose in her cheeks. It was early in the afternoon, and the girls were on Bonnie's bed. Riley grabbed the pillow from her and threw it across the room, leaving Bonnie no choice but to continue.

"This guy is just so sweet, Riles!" Bonnie gushed. "We went to the bakery in my old neighborhood and I showed him all the places I remembered from when I was little. Then we met up with a couple of his friends and they invited me to this bar they go to. So… One thing led to another, I had a few drinks, met all of his friends, and he walked me home!" Bonnie was unable to keep the smile off her face. Riley was lying on her stomach, resting her chin in her hands.

"…And?" Riley questioned, raising her eyebrows.

Bonnie laughed. "And what!"

Riley gave her a knowing look. "Shut up and finish your story."

Bonnie sighed. "Fine, he kissed me! He kissed me, okay? When I said goodbye to him last night, he kissed me." She confessed.

Riley tilted her head to the side. "…And?"

"And that's it, I swear… Hello, I just met him yesterday!" Bonnie stated. "We just clicked. I think I like him Riley… Is that weird to say?" Bonnie asked, leaning her back against the headboard.

"Is it weird to say you like him when you just met him? Ofcourse not, Bons - I'm jealous! He's handsome, definitely a keeper." Riley replied with a wink.

Bonnie smiled again. "What about your night, huh?" She asked, standing up and fixing her hair in the mirror. "How was work?"

Riley bit her lip and sat up. Spot Conlon had been on her mind all day, but could she tell Bonnie? She didn't purposely find him in an alley while his goons were beating some guy. She didn't mean to see any of it, it just happened!

"Riles, you deaf?"

Bonnie was staring at Riley's reflection in the mirror, giving her a suspicious look as she pinned up her hair.

"Well, um…" Riley started. "It was good, I had fun."

"…And?" Bonnie said mockingly, fixing her make-up in the mirror.

"…And I got really tired, cleaned up a bit, and came home right before you did." Riley replied quickly, shrugging her shoulders.

"Oh, sounds like fun." Bonnie pretended. "You're working tonight, aren't you?"

"Yeah. I'm going to the fruit stand before I start getting ready." Riley said as she stood up from the bed.

"Jack's stopping by when he's done selling." Bonnie said, applying her lipstick.

"All the way from Manhattan?"

"I told him he didn't have to but he insisted." She said happily. Riley saw the excitement in Bonnie's eyes and felt a ping of jealousy in her stomach.

"Very impressive." Riley answered, walking into her own room to get ready. She changed into a fitted dress that was light purple and fell just off her shoulders. She kept her long brown hair down and didn't bother with make-up. Unlike Bonnie, Riley didn't use a lot of make-up.

"I'll be back soon, Bons!" Riley yelled as she left the apartment.

Once she stepped outside, a small smile lit up her face. It was a beautiful day, and the street that was empty the night before was now full of busy people.

Riley took in a breath of fresh air and walked down the front steps. As she began walking down the sidewalk, she felt someone roughly push past her. Riley gasped and grabbed her hurt shoulder, turning around to see who did it.

The happiness that filled her eyes just moments before drained away in an instant. The boy looked her age. He was muscular with broad shoulders, wearing grey pants and suspenders over a dirty white shirt – but the first thing Riley noticed about him was the look on his face.

His eyes were angry and dark, and he was glaring at Riley as if he was mocking her. He had done it on purpose. It was obvious he intended on shoving past her - but why?

Riley turned away from him and continued walking. She glanced at him over her shoulder one last time as she walked away. She felt his eyes following her, so quickened her pace.

So far, Brooklyn wasn't giving Riley a warm welcome.

That night at work things got interesting. The Lounge was full of working men looking for a few drinks after a long day of work. Riley and the other girls were busy with their tables.

"Hey there, sexy. Come here for a second." A man in his mid-20's slurred. Riley had already served him and his friend a few drinks.

"What is it now, Charlie?" Riley asked the man as she approached the table. Charlie and his friend, Joe, were regulars and quickly took a liking to the new waitress.

"I want another drink, and I'll pay extra if I can get a piece of you to go with it." Charlie said, running his finger down Riley's stomach.

"Aw Charlie," Riley backed way. "You couldn't afford me." She playfully shrugged her shoulders and walked to another table. Riley rolled her eyes and let out a sigh before putting on a fake smile to greet her other customers.

Mr. Romano, the owner, kept close watch of the girls from the bar.

Through out the night Riley served food and mostly alcohol, all while dodging Charlie's wondering hands whenever she passed his table. Riley was doing something in the kitchen when Bella, another waitress, approached her.

"You got another one who just showed up." Bella said, grabbing the food her table ordered.

"Huh?" Riley snapped out of her daze and looked over at Bella.

"Someone sat at one of your tables." Bella clarified.

Riley left the kitchen and scanned her section of the restaurant. Her eyes landed on the table in the corner that was now being occupied by one person. She squinted her eyes and immediately knew who it was. Her breath caught in her throat. Spot Conlon.

"That guy is gorgeous," Bella commented as she stood next to Riley in the doorway. "I've seen him around before. Ofcourse he sits at one of YOUR tables." Bella said and hit Riley with a rag she was holding.

"You… You can take him, Bella. Go wait on him." Riley pushed Bella forward, her eyes never leaving the table in the back.

"Riley, he's watching." Bella mumbled, noticing their boss at the bar. "Mr. Romano, he's watching you. Go!" She said before walking away to one of her tables.

Riley stood frozen at the door to the kitchen. She realized Mr. Romano was watching her, but was hesitant to see Spot. What did he want? Did he know she'd be here?

She glanced over at Mr. Romano. He was watching her like a hawk. Riley took a deep breath, put her chin up, and approached the table. She was actually going to see him up close. Riley tried not to look intimidated.

"What can I getcha?" Riley asked cautiously once she stood at the table.

Spot Conlon didn't look at her. His cold eyes wandered the smoky Lounge as he answered her. "You know who I am, don't you?"

The question caught her off-guard. Her whole body tensed at the sound of his voice.

"I, um… Yes." Riley stuttered, uncertain of what was going to happen.

Spot noticed the fear in her voice and finally looked at her. His eyes were challenging her. Riley was overwhelmed at the power he had over her. "Then you know why I'm here?"

Images of last night filled her mind. "Yes." Riley answered quietly.

Spot quickly turned away and surveyed the Lounge once again. The tables around them were empty, with Charlie and Joe a short distance away. Riley looked down at her hands. A wave of fear came over her as last nights events replayed in her mind.

"That man…" Spot began. Riley's head shot back up to look at him. His gaze still lingered around the room. "That man was a murderer." He said with a distant look in his eyes.

Riley glanced around the room, then back at Spot. "You mean, the man in the alley?" She asked quietly.

"That guy killed two of my boys," Spot said angrily. He looked up into Riley's eyes. "He deserved what he got last night."

For a second, Riley saw something different. He almost looked apologetic for what she saw happen. The man was a murderer, and Spot was protecting his territory. The fear in her subsided.

"I understand." Riley responded, her voice just above a whisper.

Spot Conlon didn't want to hurt her. He wanted her to understand – and she did.

A glass breaking from across the Lounge snapped Riley back to reality. Spot looked away from her to see where the noise came from.

"Well, um…" Riley said, breaking the tension. "Looks like you could use a drink!"

"Whiskey." Spot replied sternly, glancing up at her before she walked away. Finding it hard to rip her eyes away from him, Riley nodded turned away from the table.

"Riley, give me a kiss. C'mon, one kiss, baby!" Charlie practically begged as she walked by. His friend was laughing, too drunk to even talk.

Riley politely declined and walked to the bar, wishing they would just leave. She smiled nervously at Mr. Romano, and turned to the bartender for the whiskey. The Lounge was emptying out, and only half of the tables were filled. Her hands were shaking as she made her way back to Spot.

As Riley walked past Charlie and Joe's table, she felt someone pinch her.

"Couldn't help it – you have a nice ass." Charlie slurred, giving her a drunken smile.

Riley was getting fed up with Charlie. She rolled her eyes, walked back to Spot, and set his drink down on the table.

"I'm Spot Conlon." He said suddenly, leaning back on his chair and looking at her. Riley stared at him and almost forgot what to say.

"Riley Cardoni." She replied. Remaining calm was difficult considering Riley was now a nervous wreck around this guy.

"So, you live in Brooklyn?" Spot questioned.

"Well, Mr. Conlon, I just moved here from Staten Island." Riley replied with a smile.

Charlie interrupted their conversation. "I need a DRINK!" He exclaimed, slamming his empty glass onto the table.

"They bothering you?" Spot asked, narrowing his eyes at the men. Riley was glad his intimidating look was directed on someone else other than her.

Riley sighed. "You get useto it… So, if you'll excuse me, Spot Conlon, I have work to do." She said. Spot smirked and nodded his head, picking up his drink. It was the first time he looked at Riley and didn't scare her.

"Riley, baby. There you are! Now get your fine ass to the thing over there and get me another drink." Charlie pointed to the bar.

Riley tried not to laugh. "I think you're done, Charlie, ya think?"

Charlie stood up and stumbled toward Riley. His eyes were barely open, and he grabbed her arm. "I'm not done with you." He slurred.

Riley pulled her arm away. "Don't touch me." She warned.

"I think you want me to touch you." Charlie hiccupped, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her close to him.

"Go home, Charlie!" Riley ordered, pushing his chest. Charlie tightened his grip. "Charlie!"  
She yelled.

"Get your hands off of her."

Riley turned her head and saw Spot Conlon standing infront of them. Charlie let go of Riley and pushed her into the table next to them. Spot saw this and lunged at Charlie.

"Oh my God, SPOT!" Riley yelled.

Spot had Charlie on the ground with one punch. He grabbed Charlie by the collar and threw him into the table, causing one of the legs to break and the table collapse. Charlie's friend, Joe, got up and swung at Spot. He ducked, and punched Joe in the stomach.

Throwing Joe to the ground, Spot grabbed Charlie's collar again and pulled him up to his face. "You ever fucking touch her again – I'll kill you." Spot threatened, and punched him in the jaw. Both men were on the ground, and Spot wasn't touched once.

"Are you okay?" Spot asked as he turned to Riley, his was breathing heavy.

Riley's mouth was open in shock, and her shaky hand was covering it. She looked down at Charlie and Joe with wide eyes, then over to the fuming Mr. Romano.

"GET OUT!" He bellowed, pointing at Spot and Riley as he stormed towards them. "RILEY, YOU'RE FIRED! GET OUT OF HERE, BOTH OF YOU! NOW!"

"Wait! But Mr. Romano! I.."

"GET OUT!" Mr. Romano screamed.

Riley hesitated, then practically ran out the front door of the Lounge. She sat down on the sidewalk and covered her face with her hands.

"I got fired – FIRED! My first job and I get fired my first week." Riley cried to herself. "Mom and Dad are gonna make me move back because I couldn't keep a job – he fired me!" She was interrupted when someone started laughing.

Putting down her hands, Riley looked up and saw Spot Conlon standing infront of her. His eyes were taunting her.

"What are you laughing at, Mr. Conlon?" Riley asked, looking up at him.

Spot smirked. "You."

Riley wiped the tears from her cheeks, stood up, and looked at him. He was several inches taller, but she didn't let it intimidate her. "What, may I ask, is so damn funny?"

"I thought it was pretty damn funny to hear you bitch, whine, and complain about getting fired from a dumb waitress job and worrying about what your Mommy and Daddy are gonna say about it." Spot replied, leaning up against a light post.

Riley's jaw dropped. "EXCUSE ME? You're the one who just made me lose my job!" She pushed the hair that fell infront of her face behind her ears and put her hand to her forehead.

"If it wasn't for me that drunk guy could have done whatever he wanted with ya, sweetheart." Spot replied with a smirk, knowing she was getting frustrated.

Riley scoffed. "Since you can't seem to take a hint, maybe I should break it down a little for you!" Riley yelled. "YOU lost your temper and beat up Charlie and Joe, I was FINE! Someone would have kicked him out and I would still have my job! And now you're laughing at me! How the hell did you know I'd be here anyway!"

"I had some of my boys follow you," Spot replied calmly. He saw the surprised look on Riley's face and kept talking. "Didn't want you going to the cops or anything."

Riley suddenly remembered the boy from earlier. The one that shoved past her on her way to the fruit stand. It all made sense now.

"You bastard." Riley commented angrily.

Spot's look of amusement turned into a look that made Riley shiver. His eyes were hard and made her nervous. He walked closer to her and looked down.

"I'd watch what you say to me, Riley Cardoni." Spot warned her.

"I'll watch what I say when you control your temper, Spot Conlon." Riley retorted.

With that, Spot Conlon turned around and walked down the street. It was early in the evening, and the stars were starting to come out. Riley bit her lip and regretted everything she said to him.

Riley turned the opposite way and stomped down the street. Not only was she mad at Spot Conlon, she was mad at herself for making him angry. Once she caught site ofher apartment a familiar person was walking down the stairs.

Riley gasped and ran towards Jack Kelly. If anyone could help her – he could. Without Bonnie knowing about it.

**. . Please give me some Feedback! Next update will be very soon. Thanks so much, from the bottom of my heart, for the reviews!**


	5. Help From a Cowboy

"JACK!" Riley ran to catch up to him. Jack turned around and was surprised to find Riley approaching him, completely out of breath with locks of hair falling in her face.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked once she stopped running.

Riley suddenly felt stupid. "I'm okay, are you?" She asked casually, noticing Jack looked upset.

Jack put his hands in his pockets. "Yea…"

They fell silent and paused for a moment. Finally, Riley let out a sigh.

"I lost my job and got on Spot Conlon's bad side." She admitted quickly.

"Bonnie's hungover and just threw up on your couch."

Riley sighed. "Well, it was nice catching up with you, Mr. Kelly. I'm going to jump off the bridge now." She replied, turning to walk away.

Suddenly, Jack grabbed her shoulder. "What did you just say!" He asked, turning her to face him.

"I'm jumping off the bridge…?"

"Riley," Jack put his free hand on her other shoulder and bent down to look her in the eye. "What did you say about Spot Conlon?" The tone in Jack's voice was serious.

"I… You see, I… I kinda saw him do something." Riley stammered.

Jack kept his hands on her shoulders. "What did you see?" He asked sternly, searching her eyes. Noticing Riley getting nervous, he removed his hands from her shoulders and stood up straight again.

Riley looked up at him, then down to her feet. "Spot and these guys," She started. Looking back up at Jack, she continued. "They killed someone."

He ran his fingers through his hair and looked away from her. This didn't come as a shock to Jack Kelly. "So what happened?" He asked.

"I don't know, I was leaving work last night and there were these guys in the alley across the street and they were just attacking someone! I hid, obviously, but. ."

"They saw you?" Jack looked back at Riley in concern and let out a sigh. "What did you do?"

"Nothing… I just booked ass down the street." Riley shrugged. She bit her lip when he turned away from her.

Jack dug his hand in his pocket, struck a match, and lit a cigarette. Taking a long drag, Jack turned around and faced Riley again.

"So then what?" He asked.

"I guess he had some guys follow me and he showed up at the Romano Lounge where I work."

"You know that guy knocked off two of his boys, right?" Jack asked suddenly.

"I know now because that's what he told me. Then he beat up these drunk guys and I got fired for it… I opened my big mouth and argued with him outside of the Lounge."

Jack let out a laugh. "You argued with him?" Riley glared at him while he took another drag from his cigarette. "Okay, okay… Obviously you got yourself in a tough situation with Spot, so I'll talk to him about it."

"Jack, there's something you need to know." Riley said. "You see, Bonnie can't know about this. She doesn't like Spot Conlon and .."

"I know," Jack interrupted her. "She told me."

Riley raised her eyebrows. "Told you about her and Spot?" She asked. Jack nodded. "She wouldn't tell me… She just made me promise I'd stay away from him."

Jack finished his cigarette and threw it to the ground. "I guess she liked him about a year ago, and he tried to take advantage of it, but Bonnie wouldn't let him."

"So they didn't do anything…?"

Jack shook his head and Riley let out a sigh of relief.

"She still hates him though, so I won't say anything." Jack replied.

Once again, things fell silent, and they paused for a moment. Suddenly, Riley remembered what he said before.

"Bonnie threw up on the couch!" Riley asked, catching Jack by surprise.

"Took you ten minutes to realize I said that?" He asked with a smirk on his face. "Listen, it's ok, she cleaned it up. It was funny."

Riley rolled her eyes and looked up at Jack. "You must really like her if you're not completely turned off from that." She laughed.

"Yeah, well… Shut up." Jack looked down to his shoes as his cheeks flushed. "I'll come back tomorrow after I talk to Spot." Riley nodded her head.

Jack put on his cowboy hat, walked past Riley, and started down the street.

"Jack?" Riley asked, causing Jack to turn around. She smiled at him. "Thanks."

Jack tipped his hat to Riley and made his way back to Manhattan.

**. . Yeah, I absolutely hate this chapter, but it needed to be written. I'm updating _very_ soon with a chapter that isn't as boring as this one – I promise! Thanks a lot for the reviews, without them I'd find no reason to keep writing. I love you all!**


	6. A New Start

Late the next morning, Bonnie walked out of her bedroom with a yawn.

"Don't we look chipper this morning," Riley teased, receiving a glare from Bonnie.

"Shut up," Bonnie mumbled. "Why are you up so early?" She asked, finally noticing Riley had already bathed.

"Sweetheart, it's not early." Riley replied with a laugh.

The conversation was interrupted by shouting coming from the open window. Bonnie ran to it and saw Jack selling his papers infront of their apartment.

"It's Jack!" Bonnie exclaimed, much more energetic from a few moments earlier.

"Jesus, doesn't the guy live in Manhattan?" Riley muttered, running her fingers through her brown hair as Bonnie ran to her room to get changed.

It was then that Riley realized what Jack had said the night before. He was supposed to talk to Spot today. Jumping up from the couch, Riley ran to her room to get changed as well. Before Bonnie ran outside, Riley yelled for her to help with her corset. Putting on a yellow dress with short-sleeves and a scooped neckline, she slipped on her boots and walked downstairs.

Riley stood on the steps of the apartment and watched Bonnie talk excitedly to Jack. In the middle of their conversation, Jack noticed Riley on the stairs. With a wink and nod of his head, he turned back to Bonnie with a smile on his face.

Realizing they wouldn't have a chance to talk about anything just yet, Riley assumed Jack already talked to Spot and all went well. It was a good thing she trusted Jack not to tell Bonnie anything about last night.

Bonnie ended up spending the day with Jack, leaving Riley time to herself in the apartment. She pinned up her hair and took another long bath to help herself relax and think about some things. She thought about one person in particular; Spot Conlon.

He wasn't anything special. He was just a newsboy! A feared kid from the streets with a horrible reputation. Riley was a girl with money and a higher status. She caused no trouble; and even though she didn't think herself any better than the newsboys she certainly wouldn't date one of them. Her parents wouldn't accept it. There was no doubt in her mind that Bonnie was hiding Jack from her own parents as well.

As the bath water drew colder and her fingers pruned up, Riley snapped out of her reverie and got out. She dried herself off and cursed her corset for being so difficult to put on. Just wearing a robe instead, Riley sat on her bed and pulled out a book.

Bonnie came home while Riley was in the middle of her book. The sun was now setting and Riley was amused at how quick the day went by.

For the second time that day, Bonnie was helping Riley with her corset.

"Not working tonight?" Bonnie asked once she finished. Riley put on the same yellow dress and was pinning her hair out of her face.

"No." Riley replied almost too quickly. Bonnie raised her eyebrows suspiciously.

"No, I'm not." Riley corrected in a casual manner. "I have the next few nights off."

"It's your night off; we should do something!" Bonnie said excitedly. Riley put on a fake smile and shrugged.

Without another word, Bonnie went off to her room to get ready. Looking at her reflection in her mirror, Riley let out a sigh. A sturdy knock was heard at the front door, causing her to jump.

"Riles, get the door!" Bonnie yelled from her room.

With a roll of her eyes, Riley walked to the door and cracked it open wide enough to see who it was. She gasped when two familiar eyes were looking back at her.

"What are you doing here!" Riley whispered loudly through the opening of the door.

"I want to talk." Spot Conlon replied. His voice was void of any emotion.

Frantically looking at Bonnie's closed bedroom door, Riley quietly slipped out of the apartment and closed the door behind her. She crossed her arms nervously and glanced up into his eyes. His eyes always seemed to be a different color. They seemed gray at the moment, with a sparkle she was unfamiliar with. Spot cleared his throat, ripping Riley from her thoughts and knocking some sense into her.

Riley held her head high and put on a mask of confidence. "Can I help you?" She asked.

"I talked to Jack."

Riley scrunched up her nose at the smell of alcohol on his breath. Spot was drunk, but not so much that he couldn't control himself. His words weren't slurred, but the booze certainly had an affect on him.

"I didn't know you were friends with Jack," Spot continued, reaching up and playing with the small sleeve of her dress. Riley pulled away, but he kept talking. "My boys who followed you told me you lived here and I wanted to start over."

No words formed in Riley's mouth as she took in what this boy was saying to her. The fact that Spot Conlon was interested enough to come talk to her came as a shock. She was useto men charming her; so why did she practically melt when he touched her?

"You know," Spot started, coming closer to her. "You have really pretty eyes."

Riley wanted to laugh at the overused pick-up line. She knew her brown eyes weren't anything spectacular. Her amusement quickly disappeared when she realized how close Spot was getting. She tried to keep her ground, but found her back pressed against the wall behind her.

"Why thank you, Mr. Conlon." Riley replied smoothly once she regained composure. His gray eyes now appeared blue, and his intense stare never left her face. Riley didn't like feeling so vulnerable, but she particularly enjoyed the butterflies in her stomach.

"So can we start over?" Spot asked with a lopsided smile on his face. He propped one hand on the wall next to her head and set his other hand on her waist. The strong scent of alcohol filled her nose once again and she attempted to push him away.

"Listen, Spot, I don't know who you think you are but …"

Spot put his finger to her lips to quiet her. Losing her patience, Riley slapped his hand away.

"Don't be so uptight, prettyface." Spot growled, beginning to lose his patience as well.

Riley stared up at him defiantly, refusing to give him the upper hand. "What do you really want, Mr. Conlon?" She asked through her teeth, appalled and annoyed with his behavior.

Catching Riley off-guard, Spot put his remaining hand on the other side of her head, and quickly leaned closer. Before she could react, the door flung open.

"Riley, who…" Bonnie stopped short when she saw them.

Riley pushed Spot away. "Bonnie!" She yelled in surprise. The look on Bonnie's face when she looked at Spot was unreadable, but as she looked at Riley her eyes were full of rage.

Riley nervously ran her now shaky fingers through her hair and sighed. "Just listen, I…"

"Get out."

Riley raised her eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

"You're nothing but a conniving bitch, Riley - I said GET OUT!" Bonnie screamed, pointing down the stairs, ignoring Spot's presence completely.

Spot looked at Bonnie, then to Riley, and ran down the stairs without another word.

"Shit, Bons - Just let me explain…!" Riley pleaded, glancing at the stairs and back to her friend.

"Why don't you EXPLAIN to me how you could break a promise like that!" Bonnie fumed. "I let you move into my apartment and you stabbed me in the back! You're with the one boy I told you to stay away from!"

"I didn't meet him on purpose – it just happened!" Riley shot back, getting frustrated that she couldn't even get her story across.

"So he just happened to be infront of our door. You just happened to be pressed up against a wall, and he just HAPPENED to kiss you!"

"I DIDN'T KISS HIM!" Riley argued loudly. "He's drunk, Bonnie! I swear it's not what you think. I saw him the night I started working at the Lounge, it was…"

"Why didn't you tell me! Obviously I'm not going to believe a word you're saying if you kept that from me!"

"I only kept it from you because I didn't want you to be upset!" Riley confessed. She brought her voice down and tried to reason with Bonnie. "I know what happened between you two but…"

"He's a pig, Riley!" Bonnie pointed out angrily. "I told you he was when I saw that look in your eyes when he passed us on the street the day you moved in. I warned you about him and you still wanted to see him…!"

"Jesus, Bonnie, you're not my mother! I'm not dating the prick! I can't help it if he decided to be on the same street as me that night, or go into the Lounge, or show up at our apartment. You're being so stubborn!"

"You promised me you'd stay away from him! I'm not blind. Your position here in the hallway wasn't what I'd call 'staying away from him', Riley!"

"I didn't kiss him! My God, can you relax and just listen to me!"

"I could care less about what you have to say." Bonnie narrowed her eyes. "You made me a promise, Riley, and you broke it. Pack your stuff and GET OUT!"

Riley let out a scream of frustration and pounded her fists against the wall. Her mind was racing as she stomped down the stairs, probably waking up the other people in the building who haven't already been disturbed already by their yelling.

Stepping out into the cool night air, Riley didn't notice Spot Conlon until he lightly grabbed her arm. She turned around startled, then let out a sigh when she saw who it was.

"I don't think she likes me." Spot joked, the corner of his lips turning upwards into a smirk.

Riley huffed and wrapped her arms around her waist, sitting down on the stairs. Spot sat down beside her and threw a burning cigarette stub into the street. After a few moments, Riley broke the silence.

"Obviously she doesn't like you." Riley pointed out quietly. "You remember her, don't you?"

"Who, that girl you live with? Yea I remember her. The girl was in love with me." He replied with a smug look on his face.

Riley rolled her eyes. "You're unbelievable…"

Spot stood up and faced the empty street, putting his hand on a cane that was through his belt loop. Riley looked at the boy who had his back to her and was curious to know how he became so feared. He obviously had a big reputation of being a bad boy, so why was he here apologizing to her? Why did he care so much?

For the second time that night, Riley was ripped from her thoughts when she heard Spot's voice.

"Listen," He started slowly, turning to face her. "You can stay at my lodging house tonight if you have nowhere to go."

Riley looked up at his face, and could still see his eyes through the darkness of the night. "Why are you helping me?" She asked, her voice trembling from anger.

"I got you fired and kicked out of your apartment. Doesn't mean I like ya, I just feel sorry for ya." He spat as his tone changed drastically. "Don't be flattered. Jack would be pissed if I didn't help."

Riley got up from the stairs and stood on the bottom step, standing an inch above him. Looking down at him, she put her hands on her hips. "You don't have to feel SORRY for me, Mr. Conlon, but I'll accept your offer. This is all your fault anyway."

Spot raised his eyebrows and narrowed his eyes. "Whatever you say, prettyface." He said, letting the words slowly roll off his lips, frustrating Riley even more.

Quickly turning on his heel, Spot began walking down the street in quick strides. Without another thought, Riley jumped from the step and began following him, determined to hide how nervous she was and look confident.

The last thing Riley wanted was Spot Conlon to see her nervous. This proved difficult considering how scared she was. Could she really trust this 'King of Brooklyn'? Unfortunately, that was the last thing on her mind. This infamous Brooklyn leader was a mystery to her – and deep down she couldn't resist the need to learn more about him.

At the time, Riley Cardoni had no idea the impact her decision to follow him would have on her life. Looking back on it, she would have never left the comfort of her apartment. Neither her or Spot Conlon knew what they had gotten themselves into that night.

And this is where the real love story begins; the story about how the life of this teenage girl changed forever because of Spot Conlon.

**I'm excited; I have so much planned! Please review so I know there's a point to writing this! I have so many ideas, so I hope I'm writing this for others and not just for myself to read. I really appreciate the support and comments from my readers – thanks so much for the reviews!**


	7. Storage Room

Walking into the lodging house was a moment Riley Cardoni would never forget. The boys, the booze, the smoke – it was a new experience for her. Ofcourse, Spot wasn't helping her one bit.

Spot was greeted by most of the newsies, all gesturing curiously towards Riley. She crossed her arms over her chest and tried to stand in his shadow. The next thing she knew, Spot left her all by herself and talked to some of his boys.

Riley's jaw dropped. The newsies snickered at their leader, making her angry and embarrassed at the same time. She snapped her mouth shut, and stood on the tips of her toes. Where the hell did he go?

"Christ, woman, relax!" Spot snapped, coming up behind her with a glass of beer in his hand.

"Spot!" Riley yelled in surprise, turning to face him. "Where did you go? Who are all these people?"

A look of pride crossed Spot's face. "These," He lifted his beer, "Are my newsies."

Riley clasped her hands behind her back, a nervous habit, as she scanned the room once again. They were certainly different from the newsies in Staten Island. They were big, tough, and intimidating. Staten Island was nothing like Brooklyn. You needed to be feared if you lived in the streets of this borough. This was all overwhelming for a teenage girl who just moved to Brooklyn.

"And _you_, sweetheart," Spot's husky voice in her ear got her attention once again, "You need to _relax_."

Just as fast as he appeared, Spot walked away. Riley felt the dirty stares and heard the comments being made about her. Embarrassed and uncomfortable, she sat on a chair in the corner and waited, biting her bottom lip the whole time. If Bonnie wasn't so stubborn and would've let her back in the apartment, Riley would've left. Unfortunately that wasn't the case, so she was stuck sitting in the corner.

Looking down at her boots, Riley hung her head. It wasn't until she saw another pair of boots walk into her vision that she looked up.

That smirk was really starting to annoy her.

"Spot," Riley said through her teeth.

"Having fun?" He asked happily, his eyes practically mocking her.

"Fuck you." Riley spat as she stood up to leave, unable to take him anymore.

"Okay, relax sweetface, I'll show you where you'll sleep." Spot said, grabbing her shoulder.

Riley let out an exhausted sigh. "Listen, could you just help me out here? This is all new to me."

Spot rolled his eyes. "A'right, we'll start from the beginning." Reaching for a stray newspaper that was on the floor, he picked it up for her to see. "This is a newspaper. We sell them."

"Thanks for clearing that up." Riley replied sarcastically, thankful the newsboys weren't paying attention to them. They must be used to Spot bringing girls home. The thought made her shudder.

The Lodging House was bigger than she expected. The first floor was the common room and the kitchen. Walking up the creaky wooden stairs, you reach the second floor which consists of the bunkrooms. To the left was the washroom, and a closet that was half-way open and contained a few towels and random things. To the right was the large area with bunk beds.

Riley started to panic. Sleep in a room with these guys! That was practically suicide!

"Spot, I don't think this is a good idea." Riley whispered, noticing some boys were already in bed. When Spot didn't reply, she turned to look at him but he was gone. The panic subsided when she saw him walking up another staircase. Rushing to catch up with him, Riley followed him up the dark, creaky stairs until they reached the third floor.

The sound of a match being lit was heard and light filled the room. Spot was holding a lantern, and walked down a small hallway that had three doors.

"Stay here for a second." Spot said, opening up one of the doors and disappearing behind it. He lit the lantern in the room and came out a few seconds later. "That's my room." He pointed to the door across from it. "That's the bathroom."

Riley nodded her head, then followed him to the third door in the hallway.

"…And this," He started, opening up the door. "Is the storage room." Even through the dark she could see the content smile on his face.

Riley ran her fingers through her hair as he walked in, setting the lantern down on some table. She couldn't help but let out a groan.

There wasn't much in the room, only a few boxes, a full length mirror with a crack at the bottom, a small table, and a cot.

"The… The _storage_ room?" She asked, her voice cracking with disbelief.

"You can sleep with the boys if you want…"

"No! No… No, It'll be fine." Riley tried convincing herself.

"Listen, we'll go to your place and get some of your stuff you might need tomorrow, a'right?" Spot told her. Riley nodded, obviously in her own world as she looked around the room. He wanted to laugh at the look on her face.

Without another word, Spot walked out of the room. Riley picked up the lantern and brought it with her as she sat down on the cot. It was sweltering in the room, and the dust made her sneeze a few times.

It took all of her strength to open up the window to let some air into the room. She popped her head out the window and let out a long sigh. The docks were next to the lodging house and she could hear the water lapping against the rotting wood.

As she sat back down on her cot, Riley sneezed once again. Yeah, it was going to be a long night…

**I know, I know… A very short chapter. Truth is this was actually a VERY LONG chapter but I cut it in two. So the next chapter is written and I'm going to wait for some reviews before I put it up. I guess there's a positive side to being sick – I have time to write! Sorry for the wait!**


	8. Brooklyn's World

Riley didn't know if it was the shouts of the newsboys out on the street that woke her up, or the pain and stiffness from her back. Nonetheless, she knew it was late, and it was impossible to go back to sleep.

Her reflection in the mirror made her frown. Riley did her best to fix her hair and smooth out her dress, but she still looked tired and worn out. The building seemed empty and she needed to get out of that awful Storage Room.

Cautiously walking down the stairs, Riley heard a whimper coming from the boys bunkroom. She peeked around the corner and saw a little boy. He was standing by a bed on the other side of the room with his head hung low.

"Are you okay?" Riley asked softly. The boy jumped in surprise at her voice and turned to face her. His eye was swollen and there was a cut just below his eyebrow, causing her to gasp.

"What happened to you!" Riley exclaimed, running across the room and kneeling in front of him.

The boy sniffed. "Who are you?" He asked, wiping his nose on his sleeve.

"I'm Riley, I'm staying here for a while. What happened?" She asked quickly, examining his eye.

"I dropped my papes and one of the guys got mad at me for it." The boy replied, fighting to keep his eyes from watering again.

"Well, where do you keep the alcohol? This needs to be cleaned…" Riley said, looking at the cut. The boy pointed across the room to the closet.

Riley sat him down on the bed made her way to the closet, grabbing the alcohol and a wash cloth. She found an empty tin cup in the closet and went to the washroom to fill it with water, then ran back to the boy in the bunkroom.

"What's your name?" Riley asked, kneeling infront of him once again and wetting the cloth.

"Spin." The boy answered proudly as she cleaned the blood from his cut.

"And how old are you, Spin?" Riley asked.

"9." Spin stated.

Riley poured some of the alcohol on the cloth and looked Spin in the eye.

"Now, this might sting a little…"

"I know," Spin replied simply. Riley could see the scars on his face and realized he must be used to the feeling.

Riley cleaned the cut with the alcohol, surprised that Spin barely winced at the pain.

Spin tensed when loud footsteps were suddenly heard stomping up the stairs and walking into the bunkroom. Standing at the doorway was Spot Conlon, his eyebrows raised in surprise to see Riley helping out the newsie he came to check on.

"Who did this?" Riley demanded, looking at Spot for an answer.

"Sprocket. One of my other boys." Spot answered, putting his papers down on a bunk bed and walking towards her.

"What kind of person would do something like this?" Riley asked. She gently started blowing on the cut to ease the stinging from the alcohol once she was finished. Spin smiled and stood up.

"It makes them tough," Spot answered, nodding his head at Spin as he left.

Riley remained kneeling on the ground and gathered up her things. "No child should grow up like that."

"Well, I did." Spot answered, grabbing his papers and turning to leave.

"That's my point." Riley replied. She placed the bowl, cloth, and alcohol on the bedside table.

"What's that supposta mean?" Spot asked, offended by her remark.

Riley rolled her eyes. "Forget it."

"No," Spot pushed, putting his papers back down. "What is that supposta mean?" He asked again, his angry eyes giving her chills.

"You really hit kids to make them tough, Conlon?"

That question hit a sensitive spot. "I ain't never hit a kid! Not once, so don't say that! The other boys do and I can't stop them from doing what they want." He growled, quickly crossing the room towards her.

Riley sprung up from her spot on the floor. She took in a shaky breath when he stopped a few feet infront of her. "You gonna hit me?" She asked.

"I ain't never hit a girl, either." He said, controlling his anger and leaning against the bunk.

"Yeah, but you killed a guy." Riley stated bravely.

"He was paid to kill me but took out two of my newsies." Spot explained calmly. He let out a frustrated sigh and sat down on the bunk. "You don't know the story."

"So tell me." Riley said. She sat down beside him on the bed, making sure to keep a good distance between them.

Despite the space between the two, she could see the seriousness in his eyes as he looked infront of him. "It's all business with the Harlem newsies, you wouldn't get it."

"Wait, wait…" Riley laughed lightly, putting her hand up to stop him. "You fight with other newsboys?"

Spot turned to her and narrowed his eyes. "There's a lot to fight about! You don't know our world, little girl. You're sheltered. It's about territory. Respect. Brooklyn is respected and I make sure of it."

"But Spot, you are _newsies_!" Riley stated the obvious, unable to keep the amusement from her voice. "You fight about selling newspapers!"

Spot didn't find it funny. "It has nothing to do with the newspapers. Fuck, you'd probably faint if you heard what my world is really like."

"Well, the other night I _saw_ what your world is really like." Riley said seriously, noticing Spot's eyes turned a shade of gray because of his current mood.

"You're lucky I have patience with you, Cardoni." Spot said, ripping his gaze away from her and standing up. "If you were anybody else, you would never get away with saying something like that – so watch it."

Riley knew she was on thin ice, so she kept her mouth shut. He was right; she was sheltered from this lifestyle. It was dangerous, but Riley also found it interesting.

Spot was walking out of the bunkroom, grabbing his papers on his way, before Riley finally stood up to follow him.

"Wait," She said, jogging up beside him in the hallway. "When are we going to my apartment?"

Spot descended the stairs without one look in her direction. Riley followed him closely, looking at his face for an answer.

"Spot!" Riley demanded, standing infront of him once they reached the common room. "When are we going?"

Spot's icy glare challenged Riley, looking her up and down. He was obviously appalled that she would block his way. "Tomorrow." He sneered, pushing her aside and continuing towards the door.

Riley crossed her arms and sighed loudly. "Well, where are you going now?" She asked.

"Selling the next edition." Spot answered right before he walked through the door, letting it slam as it closed behind him.

Raising her eyebrows, Riley looked around the empty room. There were empty bottles, cigars, cards, and cigarettes sprawled out over the floor and tables. The place was a mess. She spent the next few hours cleaning up as best she could, then retired to her room to avoid the stares from the newsies when they returned.

It wasn't long until Spot popped his head through the door. Riley was reading some stray newspapers to pass the time and looked up to see him.

"There's soup downstairs." Spot said impatiently, leaving before she could even reply.

The voices of the newsboys echoed up the stairs once she left her room. Biting her lip nervously, Riley turned to Spot's room. She wasn't going down there by herself.

She knocked on the door and got no answer. "Spot?" Riley asked hesitantly, peeking into the room lit by a bright lantern on a table. It was empty. Sounds of someone pumping water was heard from the bathroom across the hall, so Spot must have been washing up. Deciding to wait for Spot to be finished before she went downstairs, Riley began to close the door - but her curiosity suddenly got the best of her.

The 'great' Spot Conlon's bedroom. Although the rumors about this leader proved many girls have seen his bedroom before, she still felt a mysterious yearning to take a look. What's the crime in that? He wouldn't even know!

Grabbing the doorknob once again, Riley pushed it forward and entered the room. It was nothing spectacular, but she was impressed nonetheless. There was a desk by the window which held a lantern and a few other items, a large brown dresser where he kept his clothes, and a wooden chest that was on the floor at the foot of his bed.

"That bastard…" Riley mumbled under her breath as her eyes scanned all that was infront of her. A newsboy with such a room was baffling, but Spot Conlon had a way of baffling her as well. The thought made her smirk as she stepped further into the forbidden territory.

Although there was so much to look at, one thing immediately caught her eye. It wasn't the shine of the gold tip that got her attention, or the way its good quality stuck out like a sore thumb in the dull room… What got her attention was knowing this was the one thing Spot always had with him, no matter what.

Approaching the bed, Riley took a seat on the edge and picked up the powerful weapon with delicate fingers. Spot Conlon's cane. She wrapped her fingers around it and studied the craftsmanship. Once again, it baffled her to see a newsboy with such a thing.

Riley didn't hear the bathroom door open, or the brisk footsteps walking across the hall and to the doorway. The one thing she did hear was a husky voice that would give anyone goosebumps. "Put it down."

Startled from being snuck up on, Riley jumped from her seat on the bed and faced the door where Spot stood. He was fully clothed but his hair was still wet.

"I said Put. It. Down." Spot demanded slowly, remaining calm but anger showing in his eyes.

Although Riley would usually ignore someone ordering her around, she quickly placed the cane back on the bed. The smug look that appeared on his face when she did what he said caused Riley to roll her eyes.

"What the hell are you doing in my room?" Spot asked, taking a few steps towards the bed and grabbing his cane.

"Sorry. I was looking for you." Riley replied. It wasn't a total lie; she WAS looking for him at one point.

"No, you were going through my stuff." Spot replied angrily, putting the cane through his belt loop but never breaking his gaze on Riley.

"It was on the bed and I was looking at it," Riley argued. "Just relax, will ya? It's not a big deal!"

"You were messing with my cane!" Spot accused loudly, grabbing the cane at his side.

"I wasn't messing with 'your cane' – I was looking at it!"

"YOU TOUCHED IT!"

"JESUS, CONLON – IT'S A _STICK_!" Riley yelled, oblivious why it would be so important.

Spot turned and walked towards the window with his back facing her. "You're getting on my last nerve, Cardoni." He said after a moment of controlling his temper.

"I said I was sorry and you started yelling at me!" Riley replied.

Spot turned to face her, leaning his back against the window. "You think you'll have that same attitude when I kick you out to the streets?"

Riley narrowed her eyes at him. "You wouldn't."

Spot smirked and looked around the room. "This is charity, kid. I could have you dragged out in a second." He replied triumphantly.

Riley met his challenge. "I could go to the police about what I saw."

Spot stood up straight and stepped towards her, his eyes glaring down into hers. "That a threat?"

Riley had to fight the urge to smile. "Damn right it's a threat."

...The look on the leaders face was priceless.

**I told you I'd update again soon! I can't wait to see what you all have to say about some of the chapters I'll be putting up. All the reviews have really been helping me! Keep 'em coming!Thanks a lot, it won't be long until the next chapter.**


	9. Respect

**Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies, but I own everything else I wrote.**

* * *

_"Do you promise, Riley?" Bonnie asked as Spot continued to walk away from them._

_Riley watched his back as she lost sight of him in the crowd._

_"I promise." _

* * *

Riley Cardoni let out the longest sigh of her life as she rested on her cot in the storage room. How could one stupid promise get her into this? No job, no apartment, and no idea what to do about it.

Her body was in desperate need of food, but after pulling a stunt like 'threatening' Spot Conlon she ended up fending for herself that night. She needed a bath, but she didn't want to leave her room. She also needed to get some clothes, but Spot didn't care to bring her to get some. Unfortunately, being new in Brooklyn meant she didn't know her way around, including her way back to the apartment.

Riley didn't even consider writing to her parents. Her life would be over if she went back to Staten Island. But that was something she absolutely refused to think about… Staten Island was no longer an option.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a small knock.

"What?" Riley asked rudely, her back still facing the door as she rested her head on the lumpy pillow.

The door slowly creaked open, and she could hear the distant sounds of people on the first floor.

"I don't want to fight anymore, Conlon." Riley whined, rolling over to face the door. "Just leave me a – oh." She stopped in mid-sentence when it turned out to be someone else.

"Figured you'd be hungry, ya know? I brought you some soup."

Riley smiled, recognizing him as the young boy she helped from earlier. His eye was still a bit swollen, but his cut was starting to scab and his eyes were no longer wet with tears. She sat up on the bed as he walked towards her.

"It ain't a high class meal or nothing, but…"

"No, it's perfect." Riley reassured him, accepting the bowl and spoon offered to her. "Thank you…"

"Spin." He reminded her.

"Spin. Ofcourse." Riley replied, dipping the spoon in the soup and bringing it to her lips.

"So why don't Spot like you?" Spin asked, scratching his head and glancing around the storage room.

Riley brought the bowl down to her lap and eyed him curiously. "He has his reasons, I guess… I mean, it's not like I care or anything, but… Did he say something?"

"Yeah. He said something. And I just kinda figured he didn't like ya…"

Riley's eyes lit up with anticipation. "Wait, he said something? What thing…? What '_thing_' did he say?" Spin kept his eyes on the floor, fidgeting with his hands. "Fine… Whatever, it's fine. It doesn't even matter what he said. His opinion means _nothing_ to me. I could honestly care less…" She trailed off.

"He gave the order to the boys today not to talk to you," Spin shrugged. "No one's allowed to even look at ya."

"And they're all just going to listen to him!" Riley argued, dropping the act and showing her interest.

"Ofcourse." Spin replied obviously. "He's the leader, you know? If you don't listen to Spot he'll kick ya out of Brooklyn - or worse."

Riley shook her head and continued with her soup. "So, if he caught you talking to me right now he'd get mad?" She asked in between small spoonfuls.

"Nah, I'm a kid." Spin gave a toothy smile. "It's the older boys who can't talk to you."

Riley set the soup down on the table beside her bed and smirked. "That bastard." She whispered, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Why don't you just talk to him?" Spin suggested.

"Well, he's been telling me he'll bring me back to the apartment I got kicked out of to get some of my things, but he keeps putting it off!" Riley exclaimed, her frustration obvious in her voice.

"Everybody respects Spot around here because he's practically the King of Brooklyn, but you won't get respect back unless you earn it." Spin explained.

Riley raised her eyebrows. "How old are you again?"

"9." He replied proudly, making her laugh a little bit.

"So…" Riley bit her lip in thought. "I should just talk to him about it?"

"He'll respect you more if you confront him instead of letting him walk all over you like everyone else. Besides, you're a girl."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

Spin shrugged. "I don't know… All girls throw themselves all over him and jump into bed with the guy."

"Spin – you're 9! You're not supposed to know those things!"

"It's true though!"

For some reason, the thought of those girls made Riley angry. Was it because she was automatically considered one of Spot's whores because she was a girl? Or was it because she was jealous…?

"Well, I'm not doing that." Riley answered immediately.

Spin smirked and grabbed the empty soup bowl. "Then go talk to him. He's at the docks."

Riley smiled at the boy. "Thanks, Spin."

With a nod of his head, Spin turned and walked out of the room.

It made sense – you need to earn respect to be treated with respect, right? Right. So Riley had to stop being so scared of the infamous Spot Conlon and talk to him about it.

It was early evening, and the hot sun was beginning to set. Walking out of the lodging house, Riley could see how crowded the docks were. These were all the newsboys that weren't 'allowed' to talk to her. It made her angry just thinking about it. Riley approached the dock slowly, feeling like a complete fool the entire way.

If she wasn't so nervous, she would've noticed how beautiful the city could be at sunset. But she didn't see the beautiful side of Brooklyn – she only saw the dark side of Brooklyn, Spot Conlon's side, as she made her way onto the rotting wood of the pier.

It was then that Riley noticed Spot. He was sitting on a tall perch, his eyes scanning the dock around him at his boys. She quickly glanced away when he caught her gaze from the end of the dock, and silently cursed herself for getting caught staring.

One corner of Spot's lips turned upward as he watched Riley walk towards him. It was a superior look; as if his eyes were mocking her, but she kept her head held high. Her cheeks threatened to turn red as she felt the boys staring at her, but she tried to keep her breathing steady. Riley noticed Spin sitting a short distance away, and discreetly winked at him as she continued down the dock and passed the newsboys.

She looked at Spot as she got closer, trying her best to seem serious and calm. Usually Riley could turn on her charm, but it got harder and harder everytime she was around Spot.

"Why, Miss Riley Cardoni. What gives us the pleasure of your company this evening?" Spot announced, catching the attention of the newsboys around them.

She narrowed her eyes. "I want you to take me to Bonnie's apartment, Mr. Conlon." Riley replied smoothly, looking up at him with her hands clasped loosely behind her back.

The smirk grew more amused by the second. "Ah, sweetface, that just isn't gonna happen tonight." Spot said, shaking his head and looking out towards the water.

"And why not? You said you'd bring me." Riley argued, remaining relaxed although her anger was rising.

Spot's smirk wiped off of his face as he slipped his cane through his belt loop and jumped down from his perch. He confidently walked towards her.

"Don't question me, woman." Spot said, getting a few laughs from the boys who heard him. "I'll bring you when I_want _to bring you." He growled as he looked down at her, his cold grey eyes searching her warm brown ones. Riley immediately felt her breath catch in her throat.

Riley unclasped her hands and tucked her hair behind her ear, looking down to keep from cracking under his gaze.

"Understand?" Spot questioned, a little more quieter.

Riley chanced a glance up at him and turned her gaze to the water. The warm air blew at her face but another chill went through her body as his eyes studied her face. Spot was satisfied, and was about to walk away when Riley spoke up.

"I want …"

Spot stopped and looked back at her in surprise, but immediately put another emotionless expression on his face as she looked up at him.

"I want to get my things, Mr. Conlon." Riley said sternly, but quietly. "I want to go back to the apartment for them. And I want you to bring me as soon as possible."

Spot took a step closer to her and stared her down. He knew she wanted to look away, but Riley didn't this time. Her eyes silently pleaded for him to help her, but she would never plead for his help out loud. Spot Conlon didn't have sympathy. Riley questioned if he even had a heart at all.

"Fine." Spot replied finally, ripping his eyes away from hers and glancing around the dock where the other newsboys were leaning in to hear the conversation. They all immediately turned away when they noticed Spot looking.

"Now?" Riley asked quietly, taking a step back and trying to read his wandering eyes.

"Tomorrow. After the morning edition."

"You always say that…"

"Well I'm serious this time." He spat, his attention snapping back to her for a moment. Riley did nothing but nod as she watched him walk away, being followed by a group of his boys onto the street.

"How'd it go?"

Riley shook out of her daze and looked over at Spin. He sat himself on a nearby crate and was looking at her with amusement.

"Well… You were right about one thing, Spin." Riley replied, crossing her arms and glancing back at Spot's retreating figure.

"That he respects ya now?" Spin asked with a knowing smile.

"No. That Spot Conlon doesn't like me. He _definitely _doesn't like me."

**If I didn't reply to everyone's reviews from the last chapter I apologize! I was on vacation and wanted to get this one up as fast as I could. I'm working on some things that are going to start happening and I hope you all enjoy the events that will unfold. Thanks a bunch for the reviews and comments! Sorry for the wait, but I'm back and will update soon once I have some reviews!**


	10. Jealousy

**Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies. I own everything else.**

* * *

Walking down the streets of Brooklyn with Spot Conlon reminded Riley how powerful he really was. With his head held high and a cold look in his eyes, children watched his every move with awe, and whispers were heard from all the girls they would pass. It confused Riley why this boy had such a reputation. Why would wealthy men in tailored suits stop all conversation to stare at a _newsboy_? Why would these perfectly respectable people they would walk past suck-up to a street kid?

With her hands fidgeting nervously infront of her, Riley took in her surroundings as they walked through Brooklyn. She bit her lip everytime a jealous girl would stare her down, probably assuming she was another one of his many 'one night' girlfriends. She felt like all of Brooklyn was studying her; seeing who the infamous Spot Conlon would spend his time with.

The dirt streets of Brooklyn were hot and crowded, and Riley felt dirty despite the bath she took before they left. Maybe she'd feel prettier once she got some of her clothes back to the lodging house.

Riley glanced up quickly at Spot before pointing her eyes back to the ground. He hadn't spoken to her once since they left once he was done selling.

"How do you know Bonnie is in Manhattan right now?" Riley asked cautiously, struggling to keep up with his long strides.

Spot rolled his eyes. "When ya gonna learn, Cardoni? I know everything."

"Right, I forgot…" Riley mumbled sarcastically, squinting her eyes at the strong sunlight once they reached the apartment building. "What about a key, huh?" She asked, remembering she no longer had one.

"Jack slipped the extra one under the mat."

Riley furrowed her eyebrows. "He got a key!"

"Listen, dollface… Let's just say that my pal Jacky-boy has his way with the ladies." Spot replied, a smug look on his face.

Ignoring him completely, Riley walked ahead of him and up the steps to the top floor, Spot following closely behind her. She kneeled down and swiped the key out from underneath the mat and fumbled to unlock the door.

"Ah, the memories." Spot spoke up, leaning against the wall and smirking suggestively at Riley.

She took her hand off the key and looked around, then back at him, thoroughly confused. "What?"

"Nothing, I was just thinking outloud. Ya know, about the last time I was here."

Riley scoffed and turned back to unlocking the door. The last time they were in that hallway she got kicked out… Not to mention, Spot was drunk and tried kissing her…

"Don't even get me started on that." She replied, finally hearing the lock click.

Once the door was open they walked in and Riley immediately went into her room and towards the closet, while Spot went into the kitchen.

"That bitch!" Riley exclaimed, examining her closet and noticing that some of her dresses were missing.

Spot clicked his tongue. "Ladies shouldn't use that language, Cardoni." He said, walking into the room with an apple in his hand.

"Fuck off, Conlon." Riley replied sweetly and turned back to her wardrobe.

"You know, you can't strut around my boys in those shiny girl dresses." Spot said matter-of-factly, leaning casually against the wall and looking down at the gold tip of his cane.

Riley turned from her wardrobe to face him. "Shiny girl dresses?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow at his choice of words. He shot her a look that showed he wasn't the least bit amused.

Riley noticed the look, wiped the smile off her face, and snapped back around to examine her clothes.

"…And I don't strut." She mumbled quietly, taking out a few simple dresses that were hanging up.

"What?" He asked with a mouthful of apple.

"Nothing, pass me that bag?"

Spot looked at a small piece of luggage in the corner of her room and impatiently shoved it onto the bed.

"I don't have time for you to look through all your clothes. Just go out and buy stuff later, let's go!" Spot demanded, shutting the doors of her wardrobe and throwing the apple into a trashcan.

Riley gasped, noticing a dress sprawled out on the floor beside her dresser. "She wore my green dress!" She exclaimed, picking up the silk dress with white lace trim from the ground. "This is my favorite dress, how could she! I'm going to strangle her!"

Spot let out a frustrated sigh and ripped the dress from her hands, throwing it onto the edge of the bed. "I don't have a lot of patience right now, prettyface. _Don't_ test me." He seethed, his face practically inches from her own.

"Okay, okay, I think I'm done." Riley replied, side-stepping him and putting some things in a bag. "Besides, I can't go out and buy clothes. I don't have the money."

"Don't have the money?" Spot turned towards her, not at all convinced. "That dress costs more than the fucking apartment!" He argued, pointing to the pile of silk and lace on the bed.

"Hey!" Riley said defensively. "I needed that dress!"

"Did you _need _the other ten dresses in your closet?"

Riley crossed her arms childishly. "Yeah!" She lied.

Spot rolled his eyes.

"My parents will send me money eventually, it's just not here yet, I need to come back in a few weeks." Riley explained. "Besides, it's not like I've been working a lot lately… oh, wait. That's funny, I forgot! I got fired."

Spot glared at her impatiently. "Are you done yet?" He asked, switching his gaze back to his cane, which made Riley angrier.

"No, I'm not _done yet_, Mr. Conlon. I'll take all the time I want." She said patiently, even though her cheeks were flustered.

"Bonnie is probably going to be back soon."

"You're the God damn fearless leader of Brooklyn, Conlon. Either suck it up, or stop calling yourself that."

Spot's head snapped up from looking at his cane and he glared at her.

"Sorry." Riley blurted out, mentally kicking herself for forgetting who she was dealing with. She turned away from him, threw some hair pins in the bag, and shut it. "Now I'm done."

Much to Riley's surprise, Spot grabbed the bag off the bed and walked towards the door. "You're a real class act. Cardoni. You're walking on thin ice, but you're a class act."

"Thanks." She replied sarcastically, taking a deep breath and preparing for another walk in public with the boy everybody feared.

That night, Riley sat at the windowsill in the large common room of the lodging house. A couple of tables on the other side of the room were occupied by loud Brooklynites playing poker and drinking beer. She took another bath and changed into a dark green skirt and small white blouse. Her long hair was pinned messily on the top of her head to keep her neck cool from the heat, and her small black boots felt heavy on her sore feet from the long walk to the apartment.

She was lonely, and had no one to talk to because Spot kept a look out to see if anybody disobeyed his command. Riley didn't understand why Spot wouldn't let anyone speak to her… Being in Spot Conlon's territory was not good when Spot Conlon himself wanted you to be miserable.

The window was open all the way to allow the cool night air to fill the room. Riley pressed the side of her forehead against the glass and kept her eyes on the dock a short distance away. The number of people outside became less and less. Her stomach wasn't satisfied with the meal of bread and soup she had for dinner and she felt weak.

Another cool breeze brushed passed by her from the open window. Riley suddenly spotted a group of people off in the distance. They appeared to be approaching the pier and toward the lodging house. She turned her head to glance at Spot (who was sitting at a table with a beer in one hand, cigarette in the other), then looked back outside.

Riley squinted her eyes. "What the…" She knew who that was.

And then, in all his glory, Jack Kelly of Manhattan came into view as he walked out of the shadows and into the light of a streetlamp. He was leading a small group of people, but Riley only looked at Jack. Finally, a familiar face.

Jack and his gang entered the loud common room, immediately getting a drunken welcome of yells and cheers from Spot's boys.

Despite her current mood, Riley crossed her arms and smiled. Jack noticed her standing by the window and returned the smile, pulling himself away from the ruckus and walking over to her.

"There she is." He said smoothly, his smile growing wider.

Riley surveyed the room around her. "Yup, here I am…" She replied, motioning around the room with her arms. "Big difference from when we first met, Mr. Kelly, I must say."

Jack let out a laugh. "Yeah, just a little change of scene for a girl like you." He commented sarcastically.

"Right. Just a little." Riley smirked, crossing her arms again.

Jack just smiled and looked at his feet, absent-mindedly tugging on the red bandana around his neck.

"So, how are things going?" Riley asked, tucking the loose pieces of hair that were in her face behind her ear.

Jack pursed his lips together and shrugged. "Well, you know…" He replied in a nonchalant manner. "Same as always." He averted his eyes from her to glance around the room. "Some bad headlines, a few fights. Bonnie's been down lately, too. And I've been low on money, lost a few bets to my pal Racetrack the other night…"

Riley nodded as Jack spoke, repeatedly tucking her loose hair behind her ear. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to throw up her hair so quickly.

"And how's life treating _you_, Miss Cardoni?" Jack asked casually, taking a few steps and leaning his back against the wall next to the window.

"You know, same as always," Riley imitated his answer. "Lost my first job ever, got stuck living here, and now Bonnie hates me." She cast her eyes up to the ceiling in thought as she listed off everything with her fingers. "I live in a storage room, no one is _allowed_ to talk to me here, my only friend is 9-years-old, and Mr. King of Brooklyn is out to make my life absolutely miserable." She finished.

Jack smirked. "You win."

"Thought so."

"Definitely."

"Hey, Cowboy! Get over here, ya bum!"

Riley looked over at Spot in annoyance, and Jack dismissed Spot with a lazy wave of the hand.

"Does Bonnie know I'm here?" Riley asked, leaning up against the window next to him.

"Well, you didn't see her come with me, right?" Jack asked obviously, a knowing smirk on his face. "Ofcourse she knows."

"So, she would've came if I _wasn't_ here. That's what you're saying, right?"

"Right."

Riley stepped away from the window and faced him. "What the hell! If she's allowed to be around Spot, then why can't I be!"

Jack put up his hands in defense. "Hey, hey, wait a minute. I don't understand you ladies and your problems so don't even ask."

Riley rolled her eyes at the thought of Bonnie, mumbled 'bitch' under her breath, and suddenly noticed the people Jack showed up with across the room.

A short Italian, a boy with an eyepatch, a tall one with a pink undershirt and suspenders, and a boy with a darker complexion and curly hair.

"Those are a few of my boys from Manhattan." Jack informed her, noticing her looking. "I'll _allow_ them to talk to you, don't worry, I ain't Spot. I probably wouldn't be able to stop them anyway." He said with a smile.

They were playing poker and drinking beer with some Brooklynites. Their table was next to the table Spot was sitting at.

All of the sudden, Riley's breath caught in her throat.

Her jaw fell open, and her mouth went dry.

"…And those are some of the girls from Manhattan."

Riley barely registered what Jack said. All she saw was a bunch of girls at Spot's table. One was on his lap, touching his chest and giggling as he rubbed her leg. Two more were on either side of him, beers in their hands, laughing with everyone else.

And there he was, the overconfident Brooklyn leader, surrounded by beautiful girls and staring straight at _Riley._ Her face turned hot with anger. Her eyes finally connected with his, and he kept his gaze, taunting her, his eyes laughing at her… Never looking away once.

The whole time a smug and satisfied smirk was tugging at the corner of his lips.

**These reviews are awesome. Seriously, read my reviews! Everyone is amazing, and I really appreciate you guys giving me feedback and letting me know that you're reading! I hope this chapter didn't seem stupid – I'm setting everything up, and as you can tell things are going to stir up a bit! Review or E-mail me if you have any criticism, I won't cry, I promise. I just want you all to be happy with what you're reading! I hope I replied to everyones signed reviews, I think I got all of them. THANKS SO MUCH! Please keep it up!**


	11. Just a Moment

**Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies, but I own the other characters.**

**A/N - Starts off from last chapter . . .**

* * *

You know those moments in life when you feel like the world has stopped turning - and time feels like it slowed down? Those moments when the noise around you disappears, and the only thing you can hear is your heartbeat?

If you're lucky, you know how it feels to have the butterflies in your stomach go wild; when you have to remind yourself to breath because your lungs stopped working on their own. Those moments, the ones that make your knees go weak and cheeks grow hot, stay in your memory forever. When life gets tough, those are the memories that keep you going. And if you're lucky enough to experience those unforgettable moments, the feeling stays in your heart forever. Those feelings never go away, because they made you happy.

That was exactly how Riley Cardoni felt as she looked into those blue eyes. Except… She didn't feel lucky, and she definitely didn't feel happy. If anything, Riley felt confused.

It didn't make any sense… He was the leader of the toughest boys in New York, had a reputation that no one messed with, and a name that was whispered by everyone he would pass on the street. He was known for getting any girl he wanted, and was the fantasy of those girls who couldn't get him.

Riley's mind was racing. Maybe she was getting sick, or the heat was getting to her head. Maybe she was imagining things.

But she wasn't imagining anything.

Spot Conlon was sitting a short distance across the room. There was a beautiful girl on his lap, he was surrounded by people that admired and respected him, but he wasn't paying any attention to them. Instead, his eyes were focused on Riley, and he had captured her. A confident smirk played on his lips. It was impossible to look away from those eyes. For what seemed like an eternity, Spot didn't move, and kept his gaze locked with Riley.

Suddenly, Riley saw something different. His eyes held a new look. It was no longer honest, and captivating… It was as if he was amused by something; and suddenly the butterflies in her stomach died. For the first time since they made eye contact, Riley was able direct her eyes somewhere else. She looked at the girl on his lap, sitting at an angle and smiling shyly as Spot decided to rub her leg again. His other hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her close to his chest.

His eyes were laughing at Riley. The satisfied smirk on his face was showing how much he enjoyed playing with her head. Riley wanted to scream. Spot knew exactly what he was doing. Why the hell was he _trying_ to get her angry? It's not like she was going to get jealous or anything… That was stupid.

Riley was ripped from her thoughts when she felt someone grab her arm.

"Are you okay? You need to lay down or something?"

Riley's throat was dry, but she swallowed down the lump in her throat and looked down to her feet. "No, yeah, I'm fine." She replied, putting her hand to her head. "What are you talking about?"

"I called your name 'bout a hundred times!"

Riley furrowed her eyebrows and looked up at Jack. "Sorry… I didn't hear you… It must be the heat or something…"

"Need some water? You look tired, maybe you should go to bed."

"No, I want to meet your friends!" Riley exclaimed, forcing a smile on her face.

She felt Jack grab her arm again, and was dragged to the table Jack's friends were sitting at. Spot was seated at the table next to them, but Riley avoided looking at him.

"So, is Racetrack cheating yet?" Jack jokingly asked the group. He peered over one of the boys shoulders to look at his cards while Riley stood behind him, biting her lip when she felt Spot's eyes studying her every move. She chanced a quick glance at him again and caught his stare, narrowing her eyes. He just smiled, shook his head, and looked away.

Rolling her eyes at Spot, she turned her attention back to Jack and cleared her throat.

"Oh, right. Where are my manners?" Jack asked, taking hold of Riley's hand and leading her forward. "Fella's, this is Miss Riley Cardoni. She's staying with Spot and the others for a while."

The boys put down their cards and stood up, removing their hats at the site of her. Riley smirked at Jack and waited for the introductions.

"This here is Racetrack, Kid Blink, Skittery, and Mush."

Each boy kissed her hand at the mention of his name, and Riley giggled at how proper some of these newsboys were turning out to be.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, boys." Riley replied smoothly, flashing them a flirtatious smile. If she was good at anything, it was putting on her charm. Two could play at this game, and Riley was determined to beat Spot Conlon.

From the corner of her eye, Riley saw Spot stand up from his chair, pushing the girl on his lap aside. "Jack, c'mon, we have some things to discuss. Let's get this meeting over with." He said, putting his cane back into his belt loop.

"I'll be up in a second," Jack answered as Spot disappeared up the staircase with a couple other newsboys. Riley bit her lip and let Jack drag her to the other table, where the three girls were sitting. She wanted to pull away and turn around, but Jack already started talking.

"This is Kel. She's one of my newsies," Jack said about the brunette who was just sitting on Spot's lap. "Along with Hannah and Lace."

The three girls looked at Riley from where they were sitting. They all said "hi" in unison, none of them all that happy to meet her.

"JACK, WHAT THE FUCK. GET UP HERE!" Spot yelled down the staircase

"RELAX, I'M COMING!" Jack yelled back at Spot. "You girls be nice. I'll be upstairs." Jack said as he left.

Riley watched Jack walk to the staircase, then turned back to the girls.

Kel's eyes fell on Riley's clothes, then back up to her face. "They kidnap you for ransom or something?" She asked rudely.

Riley put on a polite smile. "Just because I'm clean doesn't mean I'm kidnapped, sweetie."

Kel rolled her eyes. "Let's get out of here." She said to the two other girls. Kel shoved Riley's shoulder as she walked toward the front door and out of the lodging house.

The Brooklynites who witnessed the 'disagreement' snorted, trying not to laugh. Riley turned away from them and crossed her arms.

"Miss Cardoni. Come join us, doll." The Italian boy, Racetrack, said casually from his table. "Take a seat. Talk with us. Converse. Chat… _Schmooze_, if you will." He gave her a toothy grin and pulled out an empty seat beside him.

Riley smiled in return and took a seat at the table with the other Manhattan boys. They just started a game of poker and started a conversation amidst their playing.

"So, you're really living here? Like, in this lodging house?" Mush asked, raising his eyebrows in concern, not even looking at his cards that were fanned out in his hand.

Riley tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and smirked. She knew this conversation was coming. "It's only temporary."

The boy introduced as 'Skittery' stretched his neck back to catch a glimpse of Mush's cards. "So you're the one Bonnie kicked out?" A kick was heard from under the table and Skittery flinched. "…Shit! What the hell, Race!" He sneered, leaning down and rubbing his leg.

Racetrack gave him a look and rolled his eyes. "How many you want, dumbass?" Skittery glared at him and grudgingly put down three cards.

Riley let out a small laugh. "Yeah, sweetheart. That's me. The girl Bonnie kicked out." She answered.

The boy with the eye patch, Kid Blink, got two new cards. "I Fold," He muttered, throwing his lousy hand of cards on the table, and looking up at Riley. "I bet you'd like living in Manhattan better then here. It's a lot different."

"Yeah, and besides," Racetrack picked up two new cards for himself. "You're obviously Italian, am I right? And this is Irish territory. See, us Italian's gotta stick together." He explained with a wink, then quickly turned to the other boys. "Oh, and I won. Three of a kind, see?"

Skittery was in the middle of collecting 'his' winnings, and began grumbling incoherently as Racetrack swept it away from him with a smile.

"I'm sure I'd love it in Manhattan… I mean, at least you guys are _allowed_ to talk to me." Riley said, raising her voice loud enough for some of the Brooklyn newsies at the other table to hear.

"They ain't allowed to talk to you?" Mush asked, his voice low and timid as he looked at them.

Riley leaned her elbows on the table. "Spot won't let them; he knows it makes me mad." She replied with a dismissive shake of her head. "Deal me in, will you sweetcheeks?" Riley asked Racetrack.

"Conlon's getting pretty protective of ya, huh?" Skittery asked as Racetrack passed out the cards.

"Protective?" Riley laughed at the mere thought of it. "No, of course not. He could care less about what happens to me. He just wants to make me miserable while I'm staying here."

"I suck at this game." Mush said to himself sadly.

"Yeah, you do." Racetrack answered, chewing on his cigar.

"Admit it, Race - you'd suck too if you didn't cheat so much, ya dummy." Skittery retorted.

"So where does Spotty have you sleeping, anyway?" Blink asked, quickly changing the subject. The other boys leaned in, curious to know the answer as well.

Riley smirked and picked up her cards. The only thing she had was a pair of 8's. "You wouldn't believe me if I told ya, hun."

"Oh yeah?" Racetrack replied, his eyes wide with amusement. "Try us."

The poker game was obviously put on hold, so she held the cards to her chest and leaned forward. "Fine… I'm sleeping in the storage room upstairs."

"What!"

"Are you serious?"

"The storage room!"

Riley stifled her laughter. "It's really not that bad," She explained, tucking another strand of hair behind her ear. "It's a storage room – but it's cozy. It grows on you after a while."

Skittery looked at the other boys around the table, then raised a questioning eyebrow at Riley. "Are you serious?"

"Ofcourse I'm not serious! I hate it!" She said, laughing at the looks on the boys faces. "You try living in a storage room, it's awful."

"Forget the storage room – come live in Manhattan!" Kid Blink offered, a wide smile on his face as he made the suggestion.

"You'd love it! We talk." Racetrack added, putting an unlit cigar back up to his smirking lips.

The other boys were nodding in agreement, but Riley hid her blush behind her cards.

"I would love that, but the truth is I won't be staying here much longer," Riley explained, bringing the cards back down to her lap. "Hopefully Bonnie will forgive me when I go talk to her and I'll be sleeping in my own bed again."

"A'right, doll. Whatever you say – but the offer still stands if Spot ever gets on your last nerve." Blink said, picking up his cards again.

Although Riley was thankful for the offer, she was glad to drop the subject and go back to the card game. Ofcourse she hated living there, but a small part in her found it adventurous. She was the girl who lived with Spot Conlon, in the toughest territory in all of New York. It excited her, although it did have its down points… Like how much of an asshole Spot can be.

Everyone put in their bets as Jack and Spot came back downstairs with the other boys who were in the meeting. Riley made a mental note to ask Jack what they needed a 'meeting' for, but the thought quickly slipped her mind when she realized something.

"Wait, I don't have any money!" Riley exclaimed, looking at the bets in the middle of the table.

"None? At all?" Skittery questioned in disbelief.

"I have to find a new job."

He rested his elbows on the table. "Why? What happened?"

"She got fired." Spot answered for her from across the room. He got a drink from the other room and was walking back to the table.

"Hmm, I wonder WHY." Riley said sarcastically, looking at him with a glare.

"Tell ya what," Racetrack cut in. He was a quick thinker – one of his many gambling skills. "If you win, you'll get the money. But if you lose… You gotta kiss the winner."

Riley's jaw dropped, her eyes smiling as the table erupted in laughter.

"That sounds pretty fair to me, Riley." Jack said. Riley looked across the table and saw Jack and Spot standing behind Kid Blink. Spot's eyes got a little wide, and his lips were pressed together as he looked at Racetrack in disbelief.

"What do ya say, sweetface?" Racetrack asked. "That sound good?"

Riley turned back to Racetrack and smiled. If she was going to get Spot back, this was definitely the way to do it.

"Well, Mr. Racetrack, I'd say that you have a deal." Riley agreed, confidently raising her eyebrows at him.

"And not a peck or nothing. A real kiss, you know? You gotta put some effort into it." Kid Blink explained, a wide smile on his face. Racetrack slapped him on the back of the head, although his lips were turned up in a smile as well.

Riley felt her cheeks get hot. "Okay, okay. Fine." She agreed, biting her lip to keep from smiling bigger.

By now, the table beside them stopped what they were doing to watch the poker game. Some pulled chairs over and sat around the table; including Spot, who sat directly across from her. Setting his drink on the table, he leaned forward in his chair and clasped his hands together. Riley and the boys picked up their cards, and the game continued. While the boys continued with their bets, Riley felt Spot's stare and looked up from her cards; once again, their eyes met.

Only this time – she was the one smirking.

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**Pretty long, huh? I wrote this chapter a bunch of times, and I haven't been happy with any of the results. A lot is going to happen soon, but I have to build it up – so forgive me if this has a lot of 'boringness,' because I know I could've done a whole lot better with the characters, ect. The next chapter is written, just needs to be edited, so I'll update when some reviews come in. Thanks for reading and giving me feedback!**


	12. The Game

**Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies,but I own the other characters.**

* * *

Now that the 'bet' was settled, the poker game continued. Riley was able to ignore Spot's stares long enough to focus.

Glancing down at her cards, Riley saw her pair of 8's. She got three new cards from Racetrack and held her breath as she looked them over. A three, a seven, and a jack. She wanted to let out a sad sigh, but stopped herself. Keeping on her poker face, she glanced around the table.

The boys were done betting. Mush had a look of disappointment on his face after he had to fold, his cards face down on the table in front of him. On the other hand; Skittery, Kid Blink, and Racetrack looked confident.

Riley had a knot in her stomach, and kept her cards hidden from view as she tucked another piece of loose hair behind her ear. She tentatively looked up at Spot, but he didn't look at her once. He had a look of stone; completely unreadable and full of no emotion what-so-ever as he watched the game. Gripping her cards tighter, Riley tried to hide her frustration and stay focused.

"You first, Blink." Racetrack said as the crowd around the table turned silent.

With a long sigh, Blink laid out his cards on the table and shrugged. A pair of 5's. So far, Riley hadn't lost yet.

The crowd started discussing the game amongst themselves once again, but one loud 'thump' from Spot's cane hitting the floor stopped all talking. Spot's eyes scanned the crowd around the table before he looked at Racetrack and signaled for him to continue.

Racetrack smirked and nodded a thanks to Spot, and looked at Skittery.

"Skitts," Race stated, indicating his turn to show his cards.

Skittery scratched the back of his head and laid out his cards. He had a flush; all of his cards being hearts.

"Try beating that, boys," Skittery announced. "And girl." He added with a wink.

"Dammit, Skitts!" Blink cursed, banging his fist on the table in defeat.

"That's the best hand I've seen all night!" One of the Brooklynites shouted from the crowd. A satisfied smile reached Skittery's lips as he casually sat back in his chair, placing his hands behind his head. The onlookers cheered for Skittery, clapping and letting the excitement build up.

Mush laughed with everyone else and messed up Skittery's hair. "Looks like someone's might actually get lucky tonight." He teased.

"Watch it, Mush!" Riley warned, pointing her finger at him.

Skittery playfully shoved Mush away and crossed his arms over his chest, nodding over to Riley with a smirk.

"What do you have?" He asked.

Riley laughed as she looked around the table. "Well," She threw her cards down. "Looks like I'm kissing someone tonight."

"Pair of 8's." Jack laughed as saw her cards, looking at the other newsboys who surrounded the table. Everyone's laughter made Riley's cheeks turn red, but she kept her head high. Spot was studying her; looking for a twitch, a frown, or any trace of regret for making that bet. The only thing Riley felt at that very moment was satisfaction. She had to kiss either Racetrack or Skittery. Usually Riley wouldn't even think of kissing someone she just met, but this was different. This was revenge, and it felt good.

The commotion died down when Racetrack remained silent, staring at Skittery's cards with an unreadable expression. Skittery raised his eyebrows in anticipation, licking his lips while the whole room waited impatiently for Racetrack to show his cards.

Riley looked around her. Everyone's eyes were on Racetrack; including Spot, his hand gripping his cane and neck stretched forward so he could get a better look across the table. He was showing the same anticipation as the rest of them when he thought no one was looking.

"Before the sun comes out, Higgins! C'mon!" A Brooklyn newsie from the crowd shouted. Riley quickly turned back to the game. At the same time, Racetrack looked up from Skittery's cards and smirked.

"Well… A three of a kind doesn't beat a flush," Racetrack announced, throwing his cards on the table. "So congrats, Skitts."

"You actually beat Racetrack!" Blink laughed loudly as he stood up from his seat.

Riley started laughing with everyone else, and looked over at Skittery. He was gathering the money on the table with a wide smile on his face, laughing everytime someone hit him on the back and congratulated him.

"Miss Cardoni – I believe you owe my pal Skittery a kiss." Blink teased as he patted Skittery on the back, causing some of the rowdy boys to clap and give her catcalls. Despite the blush in her cheeks, Riley took in a deep breath and stood up from her chair.

Skittery looked up at the ceiling, did a quick sign of the cross and clasped his hands together. He jokingly mouthed a 'thank you', causing the room to erupt in laughter. He stood up from his chair and laughed as the newsboys pulled him forward in order for him to receive Riley's part of the bet.

Riley playfully rolled her eyes at his excitement and tried biting her lip to stop her giggles. Her heart was beating so fast that she felt dizzy, and had to catch her breath from laughing so hard. Standing up across the table from her was Spot, but he wasn't even looking. Instead, he was whispering something to one of his newsboys. He seemed to be telling him something important, but Riley had to look away when Skittery finally stood in front of her.

Skittery was handsome, and Riley immediately felt physically attracted to him. He was tall, had cute, messy brown hair that was covered with a brown cap, and gorgeous brown eyes. When Jack first introduced her to Skittery, he seemed shy and unsure of himself. Now his brown eyes were sparkling, and his smile made her heart melt. Riley smiled up at him. This was going to be easy.

"So, Mr. Skittery," Riley started, crossing her arms over her chest. "You beat me fair and square – congratulations."

He shrugged and scratched the back of his neck, looking down to his feet as his smile grew wider. "Yeah, well, I'm only good at a couple things." His eyes left the ground and he looked into her eyes. "I guess you can say poker is one of them." Skittery's smile turned into a mischievous smirk as he slightly raised his eyebrows.

Riley licked her lips and smiled as the other boys laughed and egged him on. She shyly looked away from him and noticed the newsboy Spot was just whispering to disappear into the crowd. She could feel Spot watching her intensely. Knowing this was the perfect time to act, she took a deep breath and turned her attention to Skittery.

Riley stepped closer to him and looked up into his eyes. He had a lot of height on her, but she stood tall, and seductively stared up at him. "So you say you're good at a _couple_ things?" She questioned, tilting her head to the side.

Skittery never broke his gaze with her as he lifted his hand to her face. Her hair was still messily pinned up on her head because of the heat. Some hair had escaped from the pins throughout the night, falling loosely in her face and cascading down her back. Skittery gently brushed the hair behind her ear and answered with a silent but confident nod of his head.

"Well," Riley started, gently licking her lips and running her finger down his hard chest. "Mind if I see what _else_ you're good at?" She suggested, raising her eyebrows. The room was now filled with catcalls as the boys watched, but the only boy that mattered was Spot. Riley met Skittery's eyes again as he cupped her cheek and tilted her head up.

He lowered his voice, sending chills down her spine. "How about I _show_ you what I'm good at." Skittery answered, moving his hand to the small of her back and pulling her closer. Riley gasped in surprise at the strength in his arms. She was now standing on the tips of her toes as he slowly leaned down to kiss her, teasing her and taking his time. She couldn't take it any longer; knocking the hat off his head, Riley ran her fingers through his hair and closed the space between them. His lips barely touched hers when a loud yell caused her to jump.

"A'RIGHT – IT'S LATE, PARTY'S OVER!"

The yell startled the both of them, and Skittery pulled his arm away from her in surprise.

Standing on a chair in the middle of the crowd was the boy Spot was just whispering to, ordering everyone to turn in for the night. Everyone in the room groaned.

"C'mon, Spike! This was just getting good!" One of the Brooklynites complained, pointing in the direction of Riley and Skittery.

"I said PARTY'S OVER!" He yelled sternly, looking at him before jumping down off the chair. Everyone in the room looked at Spot.

"What? Spike's second-in-command! You don't have hearing problems - you fucking heard him! Party's over!" Spot yelled, glaring at everyone who was complaining. The groaning stopped and the Brooklyn boys began filing upstairs in disappointment.

Riley looked at Jack with her eyes furrowed in anger. Jack only rolled his eyes, knowing exactly what was going on and why Spot wanted to stop the party.

"Yeah, it's pretty late. See ya later, Spot." Jack said, spitting in his hand and holding it out.

"Later, Jacky-boy." Spot replied, spitting in his own hand and shaking it with Jack's.

Riley probably would have felt sick to her stomach if she saw them do that at any other time, but she was still letting everything that just happened sink in as Jack motioned for the Manhattan boys to follow him to the door.

The common room was now quiet as the Brooklyn boys disappeared up the stairs. Kid Blink, Mush, and Racetrack walked past Riley; shrugging their shoulders and giving her small smiles.

"We'll see you really soon, don't worry about it." Racetrack assured her, keeping his voice down as he followed Jack out the door.

Riley realized her mouth was slightly hanging open with shock so she closed it and frowned. Someone suddenly came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe next time, huh?" Skittery whispered, a smile on his face as he walked backwards to the door.

Riley smiled shyly and nodded her head before he turned around, his hat in his hands, and closed the door behind him. Now only Riley and Spot were left in the room.

It took every ounce of control Riley had to stay calm. Spot stopped the party on purpose, and he knew it would get her mad! Why not make the announcement _after_ she kissed Skittery? Riley took in a deep, shaky breath. If Spot Conlon wanted to play these games, he needed to at least play _fair_.

The smile from a moment ago quickly disappeared from Riley's lips as she turned away from the front door. "What's the matter with you, Conlon!" She asked, trying to keep her voice down despite her anger.

Spot slid his cane through his belt loop and rolled his eyes. "Just save it and go up to your room, Cardoni. I don't want to hear you."

Riley ignored him and followed him to the staircase. "First I'm not allowed to touch anything that might belong to you, then I'm not allowed to speak to any of the other newsies, and now I'm not allowed to have _fun_!"

Spot spun around to face her, his face inches from her own as they stood in the middle of the staircase. She took in a quick breath. Riley's biggest flaw was forgetting who it was she was messing with. She knew Spot had the power to do anything he wanted with a snap of his finger, and mouthing off to him could be dangerous… Making him angry could be deadly.

"I said I didn't want to hear you." He said slowly, staring straight into her eyes.

Riley felt the railing on her back as she instinctively tried to move away. "Sorry," She breathed, losing the ability to speak as he stared at her.

Spot kept his glare for another few seconds before quickly turning away and continued up the stairs.

"Besides, kissing random Manhattan newsies you just met don't sound like _fun_ to me." Spot continued, his back turned to Riley as she followed him to the top floor. They began up the second flight of stairs that led to their rooms.

Riley relaxed at his tone of voice, and smirked. "Well, it sounds pretty fun to me." She replied in a sing-song voice, reaching the door to the 'her' room – the storage room.

Spot stood at his door and turned his head, raising a questioning eyebrow as he looked her up and down. She noticed the expression on his face as he stood in the doorway a few feet away from her, the flame of the hallway light allowing her to see.

"…What?" She asked curiously, letting go of the doorknob to her room and turning to face him.

A smirk formed at the corner of Spot's lips, and he shrugged. "Nothing, it's just… If I knew you were that easy then I would've let you sleep in _my_ room."

Riley's jaw dropped; and before she could even defend herself, Spot already entered his room and closed the door behind him.

* * *

**I love my reviewers! If I didn't reply to your review (if it wasn't a sign review, or if I'm an idiot and missed it…) then I want to say thank you for your comments and letting me know what you think! I hope you all continue being so amazing – thanks again!**


	13. Guilty By Association

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Newsies, but I own the others.**

* * *

"C'mon, Riley! Spot's gonna kill me if I'm late to the distribution center!"

"Quit your whining and grab that hair comb from that table, will ya?"

Spin let out a frustrated sigh and walked to the table beside Riley's bed, grabbing a decorative comb from the top. "You look stunning – you don't to bother with your hair, a'right?"

Riley smiled to herself as she grabbed the comb from his extended hand. Looking into her full length mirror, she pulled back the long locks from the left side of her crown and placed the comb in to keep the hair in place. The pearls on the base of the comb added the perfect touch to her dress.

"Why are you getting all dressed up today anyway?" Spin questioned curiously.

"I need a job," Riley replied with a sigh. "I just need to stop feeling sorry for myself and do something productive, you know?"

Spin shrugged. "Yeah. Productive. Whatever." He anxiously looked to the door. "Can I please please please go now!"

"Does this dress look okay? Should I wear the beige one?"

"Riley!" Spin whined again. "Spot's gonna pop me one so hard I won't be able to read the headline!"

She laughed and pushed him out the door. "Get out of here."

"That dress is okay! Don't change it!" His voice echoed up the staircase as he ran downstairs at full speed.

Riley bit her lip and turned to the mirror again. Her dress was pale yellow, wrapped tightly at her waist. The decorative comb pulled back her hair, and left the rest running down her back. The dress wasn't her fanciest, and her hair wasn't the most elegant. A part of her missed looking her best in Staten Island, but the other part felt happy that now she could do whatever she wanted without her parents pressuring her.

And today, Riley Cardoni wanted to get a job.

Slipping on her shiny brown leather boots, she left her room and walked down two stories to the common room. The newsboys were out selling, so she gasped when the front door flew open and a boy walked in.

She recognized him. Just another one of Spot's boys that hadn't spoken to her. He was tall with blonde hair and muscles that could intimidate anybody. He glanced at her quickly before running up to the bunkroom.

Rolling her eyes, she walked to the kitchen to grab a piece of stale bread for breakfast. When she had a job, she would have her fruit for breakfast again; no more of this stale bread.

After she ate her breakfast, Riley stood up from the table in the common room and walked to the door. Suddenly, realization hit her; where the hell was she going to go? She didn't know her way around yet! She didn't know where to go for a _job_.

Footsteps stomping down the stairs ripped Riley from her thoughts. It was that boy again. She stepped away from the door to let him through, but something suddenly came over her.

"Do you know where Spot is?"

The blonde boy looked at her in surprise.

"I, um…" Riley stuttered, suddenly regretting her question. "I just want to know where he is…" She explained, casting her eyes to the floor and mentally kicking herself. This stupid boy had to follow Spot's 'orders' and couldn't talk to her. So it surprised her when he actually answered…

"He sells a few streets down." The boy replied. His voice was deep and it startled her to get a reply. She shot her eyes back up to his and raised her eyebrows.

"I'm Ryder." He relaxed and a smile set on his face as he extended his hand.

"Riley." She smiled back, politely shaking his hand.

"I know."

Riley looked out the door, then back up to his eyes. "Why are you actually talking to me?"

Ryder shrugged. "You asked a question," He looked around the room and ran his fingers through his hair. "There's nothing wrong with answering a question, right?" He smirked at her and put a brown newsboy hat on his head.

"Right." Riley answered, a smile appearing on her lips. "Well… Do you know when he should be back?"

Ryder crossed his arms across his chest and leaned back on the wall next to the door. "Uhh… He'll either be back here soon, or down the docks."

"Soon?"

"Soon." He assured her, sticking his hands in his pockets. "I didn't sell today because I lost some money in poker last night, but I saw the headlines and they weren't too good, so he wouldn't have gotten that many papes."

Riley blushed at the mention of the poker game, and Ryder couldn't help but chuckle.

Before the conversation could go any further, the door next to them flung open. Riley gasped in surprise, and Ryder jumped.

"Jesus, Ditch!" Ryder exclaimed at the dark haired newsboy that walked through the door. "I thought you were…" He noticed Ditch's eyes get wide, but it was too late. "What?"

"You thought he was who?" Spot asked casually, walking in behind Ditch.

Riley bit her lip and put her head down.

Spot looked up and noticed Riley and Ryder. "What the fuck is this?"

Ryder laughed nervously. "Nothing, Spot."

Spot's eyes were boring holes into Riley, but she couldn't look up. "Nothing?" He asked threateningly, turning his gaze to Ryder again.

"Yeah, Spot. I was just leaving and…"

"I'm going to ask one more time, Ryder." Spot interrupted him calmly. Riley looked up and saw him pull out his cane. The cold glare in his eyes looked deadly and ready to discipline as he slammed the door of the lodging house, his eyes never leaving Ryder. "What the _fuck_ is this?"

Riley couldn't let him get in trouble for helping her. "Honestly, Spot, it was nothing! Ryder was leaving and I was walking in." She blurted out before thinking.

Spot looked from Riley to Ryder. He wasn't stupid and obviously didn't buy it, so it surprised them when he put his cane back through his belt loop.

"Go do something with yourself – get out of my face." Spot dismissed Ryder, turning away and walking to the stairs.

"Nice one." The dark haired newsboy, Ditch, whispered to him.

Ryder silently swore to himself as he took off out the door. Ditch looked at Riley and shrugged, pulling out his money and counting it on the table in the common room.

"Hey, wait!" Riley called out to Spot before he disappeared up the stairs. He stopped walking and turned to face her.

"What is it, Cardoni?" He asked irritably, his tone bored and harsh.

Riley chose to ignore his unpleasant attitude and quickly walked towards him. "Look, I obviously need another job, but I don't know where to go, and I need you to tell me. Or help me. Or, I don't know, show me somewhere I could probably work, because I need to support myself, but I don't know anything about Brooklyn, and…"

"A'right, a'right, relax." Spot put up his hand to stop her babbling. "My God, Cardoni, you're giving me a headache…"

"Sorry. Can you help me?" Riley asked again, her eyes pleading for his help. It killed her to ask _him_ for help, but she was desperate.

Spot pondered it for a moment, then looked at her again. "Tell me what happened with Ryder."

"Ryder!" Riley sighed for a moment and licked her lips. "He was telling me where you were. It's honestly no big deal."

"Not a big deal? My boys disobeying my orders?" Spot asked, his voice calm but his eyes on fire.

Riley decided to avoid the topic at all costs, and quickly changed the subject. "You helped me lose my job, so now can you help me get one?" She asked again.

Spot searched her brown eyes for a moment before turning around. "Not today." He answered, walking up the stairs.

"Why!" Riley yelled angrily.

When she got no answer, she foolishly punched the wall in frustration.

"Oh my God." Riley breathlessly squeaked, holding onto her fist in pain. She shot a glare at Ditch, who was still sitting at the table and was now snickering at her, and quickly walked outside.

Looking down at her red knuckles, Riley bit her lip and walked onto the pier across the street that the Brooklyn newsies were known to take over.

Looking up from her fist, she squinted her eyes at a familiar face that sat on a crate.

"Spin? I thought you were selling!"

Spin looked up from the piece of wood he was carving away at with a knife. "No papes left." He answered with a smile.

Riley walked past a small group of newsboys that were soaking wet from swimming and approached the crate Spin was sitting on. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay. The headline sucked."

"Spin… Watch your…"

"Watch your language." He mocked her, rolling his eyes. "I know, I know."

Riley playfully shoved the young boys shoulder and sat down on the crate beside him.

"Why aren't you out searching for a job?" He asked curiously, looking away from the piece of wood he was holding.

"I need Spot to help me out with that one." Riley explained, shaking her head. "Ofcourse, he doesn't want to at the moment."

"Yeah, good luck with that one." Spin mumbled, turning back to his knife and piece of wood.

Riley scrunched her face in thought as the sun beamed into her eyes. "Hey, Spin?"

"Yeah." He answered absentmindedly.

"Can you show me around?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know… Show me around Brooklyn."

Spin looked up and faced her. "It's a big borough, Riley."

"Just around here, you know? I think I know my way around a little bit but I want to make sure." Spin lazily contemplated the idea. "Pretty please…?"

Spin closed his pocket knife and threw the piece of wood on the dock. "A'right, lets take a walk."

Riley smiled and stood up, taking off his hat and ruffling up his hair. "You're my hero, Spin. Have I ever told you that?"

Spin grabbed his hat and put it back on his head. "No, but I wanna hear it more from now on."

They were off of the docks and halfway down the street when Riley furrowed her eyes.

"Hey, Spin… You're 9-years-old, right?" She asked. He nodded. "Then who the hell gave you that huge pocket knife?"

"The newsies all chipped in the money last fall. A birthday present." He smiled proudly, pulling it out of his pocket.

"Oh, how sweet." Riley said sarcastically. "'Happy birthday, kid. Here's a knife.'" She mocked them, rolling her eyes.

Spin showed Riley around, including the streets to Bonnie's apartment. By the end of the day Riley felt more comfortable knowing where she was. It was less scary coming back to the lodging house when the area was familiar to her.

She was in high spirits when the sun started to set and she walked into the loud common room.

"You gonna eat, Riley?" Spin asked. The watery soup didn't sound appealing, but right now there wasn't anything else.

"Yeah, I guess so…" Riley trailed off as she looked around at the familiar faces of the Brooklyn newsboys. Her eyes landed on Ryder, who was trying to hide his face with his hand as he sat at one of the tables. He didn't see her walk in.

"You coming?" Spin asked, grabbing her hand and pulling her to the kitchen.

Riley's jaw dropped when Ryder's put his hand down, revealing a large purple bruise; starting from his brow bone, and painfully engulfing his whole eye.

"What the hell happened to _him_?" Spin asked with a snort of laughter, clueless to the events from earlier that day. When Riley didn't reply, he turned to look at her but she already disappeared.

Running up the stairs, Riley felt the anger building up in her chest. The voice in the back of her head that usually told her to control her temper around Spot was gone, and the only thing left was fury. It was her fault Ryder got hurt. All because of Spot's stubborn pride. Finally reaching the top floor, she stormed into his room.

"How dare you!"

"Jesus Christ!" Spot yelled in surprise as his door flung open. He was sitting on his bed putting on his shoes, but jumped up the second Riley pushed the door open.

"How could you do that!" Riley screamed, slamming the door behind her.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, woman!" Spot yelled angrily, regaining his balance with only one shoe on.

"How could you hit him like that! He didn't do anything wrong!"

Spot suddenly realized what she was talking about and rolled his eyes. "It ain't none of your business, Cardoni." He replied more calmly, sitting back on the bed and reaching for his other shoe.

"Ryder was telling me where you were – I already told you that!" Riley explained angrily as Spot began tying his shoelace. "Do you really think I enjoy being here? Because I _don't_. And it's so fucking hard because you keep doing these things!"

"Girls shouldn't swear – it's unattractive."

"You're not even listening to me!" Riley whined in frustration, her cheeks now flushed with anger. How did he know _exactly _what to say to make her crazy?

Spot finished tying his shoe and stood up, taking a few steps to his dresser and putting on his hat as he looked at his reflection. "Like I said, kid. It ain't none of your business, so stay out of it."

"Stay out of it! You hit him for talking to me! What kind of leader are you!"

Spot turned from his dresser and stormed over to Riley, grabbing her arm. He roughly pulled her close to his face and stared down at her with a sneer. "I said stay out of it, Cardoni. Don't ever question me again, understand?"

The spark of anger in his eyes frightened her and she felt her body go numb from fear as she stood on the tips of her toes. Her mouth was suddenly dry as she parted her lips to respond, but she closed them again when nothing came out. She let out a quiet whimper as his grip tightened on her arm, and she was able to answer his question with a nod of her head.

Spot let go of her arm, and she stumbled backwards. Riley knew he had a temper, but she didn't know he would get that angry with her. Crossing her left arm over her chest, she grabbed the arm Spot had his grip on and winced.

Finally looking away from her, Spot opened his bedroom door and Riley walked out into the hallway, keeping her mouth shut in fear that he'd touch her again.

"What I do with my boys is none of your business," He repeated as he walked past her and to the stairs.

Riley put her hand on the door frame of the storage room to keep her legs steady.

"Don't forget that." Spot finished, his voice echoing up the staircase as he made his way downstairs.

It took several minutes for Riley to calm down. Taking in a shaky breath, she entered her room and looked at herself in the mirror. The decorative comb in her hair was loose, and her long hair was flung messily over her shoulders. Walking on the streets all day left dirt on her cheeks, and her eyes were watery from her encounter with Spot. She could already see a bruise forming on her arm from his grip.

Spot Conlon had a temper, Riley knew that, but it was starting to get dangerous. One second he'll act somewhat decent, and then the next second he'll absolutely terrify her. She couldn't take it anymore.

Maybe it was time to forget about her pride and go to the apartment. Maybe it was time to beg Bonnie to let her back in. Maybe it was time to get Spot Conlon out of her life forever.

* * *

**I barely had time to reply to reviews or do anything else because I've been really busy, but I wanted to update for you guys! So I wrote this as fast as I could. There's more written, but it's the next chapter. The next update will be extremely soon. I'm so motivated to write because of these reviews – thank you so much! I can't wait to update now, because I want to hear all of your responses!**


	14. Protection

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Newsies, but I own the others.**

**A/N – I'm sort of out of it today, so the editing might be pretty bad. This chapter is pretty long, and I apologize in advance for any mistakes!**

* * *

"Jesus Christ…" Riley Cardoni mumbled to herself in disbelief, looking into the cracked full length mirror of the storage room. Her fingers slowly traced the forming bruise on her upper arm, given to her by the infamous Brooklyn leader that now sat downstairs.

Never in her whole life had Riley been deliberately hurt by another person. Whether Spot did it intentionally, she would never know. The only thing on her mind right now was getting as far away from him as possible. Riley silently cursed herself. Her stubborn curiosity had gotten her in trouble before, so once again, her curiosity in Spot Conlon had gotten the best of her, and she was now paying for it. Her mother would always tell her 'Curiosity Killed the Cat' – but Riley never listened; I mean, she wasn't a cat, and it's not like being curious could actually hurt you… Right?

Sure, curiosity couldn't hurt her… But Spot Conlon could. And he just did.

Taking out the decorative comb from her long hair, Riley couldn't stop thinking about the first day she saw Spot Conlon. She was in awe with his looks, but there was something else about him… Something that gave her chills… Something that made her want to know more. Even if it was just his name, or why he looked so powerful; she had to know.

So there she sat, alone in the storage room of the Brooklyn Newsboys Lodging House, waiting for her hands to stop shaking from her encounter with the most powerful street kid in all of New York.

After a while, Riley walked downstairs to see the common room full of loud newsboys. She coughed when the heavy smoke filled her nose from the cigarettes and cigars.

The first person that saw her was Spot. He sat at a table with a bunch of other boys, and gave her a questioning look. Riley could have sworn she saw his eyes go soft once he saw her, but shook the idea out of her head. Biting her lip, Riley looked away and walked quickly across the room. She felt Spot's eyes following her, and felt goose bumps on her arms, despite the temperature of the warm summer night. She reached the door and left the lodging house, walking into the fresh air and taking a deep breath as she made her way down the street; her destination – Bonnie's apartment.

By now, most of the newsboys had seen Riley and watched the door close behind her. All eyes suddenly turned to Spot.

"Follow her," Spot ordered, his eyes still on the door. Whip, one of his newsboys, grabbed his slingshot from the table and followed Riley out the door.

Walking through Brooklyn at night was dangerous, but the thought didn't even enter Riley's mind. At that point she could've cared less if something happened to her. Anything was better than dealing with Spot Conlon.

A long and lonely walk brought Riley to the familiar steps of the apartment building. Reaching the top floor, she knocked on the door and put her hand to her hip as she waited for Bonnie to answer. Furrowing her eyebrows when no one did, she knocked again.

Once again, no answer. "Bonnie?" Riley asked, knocking a little louder. She tried turning the doorknob but it was locked.

Resting her forehead on the door, Riley let out a long sigh. "Fuck," She mumbled to herself. Spot Conlon's familiar voice rang through her head,

_Girls shouldn't swear – it's unattractive._

"Shut up," Riley whispered to herself, turning around and resting her back on the door. She stood there for a few minutes and considered her options: Stay there and wait for Bonnie to come home in hopes that she'd forgive her and let her stay… Or go back to the lodging house and try tomorrow.

Deciding that she didn't want to take the risk of waiting all night, Riley pushed herself off the door and walked back down the stairs. She exited the building and felt the warm night air on her skin as she started her journey back to the lodging house.

It was darker now, and the streets were getting quiet. Riley ran her fingers through her hair and crossed her arms over her chest as she walked. Whip casually followed close behind her, making sure to keep his distance so she wouldn't notice.

One thought kept running through her head – would Bonnie forgive her? They never really fought before. Well, they have, but over stupid things… Like clothes, or what they would eat for lunch that day. Nothing like this.

Shaking the thoughts out of her head, Riley bit her lip and looked at the ground. "You don't have to hide from me, you know." She said, her voice breaking the silence of the empty street.

As expected, a voice answered her back. "…You saw me?"

Riley smiled when Spot's newsboy answered her, but continued walking. "I didn't need to see you. I just knew."

"Was I loud or something? Did I make a lot of noise?"

She noticed the worry in his voice and turned around, walking backwards. "No, you didn't make a sound," She reassured him. "I just had a feeling Spot would send someone." He nodded, and Riley slowed down and waited for him to catch up.

Whip took off his hat, revealing his blonde hair, and wiped his forehead. He was actually very handsome. Why do all the bad boys seem attractive? Placing the hat back on his head, he finally caught up to Riley, and they walked side-by-side.

"That girl is probably in Manhattan. She's there all the time."

"Bonnie?" Riley asked, looking up at him.

"Yeah, Bonnie." Whip confirmed with a nod of his head. He suddenly raised his eyebrows and glanced down at her, "Doesn't she hate you?"

Riley looked away. "She doesn't _hate_ me. She's just… Just…"

Whip smiled. "Jealous?"

"She's just _mad_ at me." Riley corrected him, unable to hide her smile. "Besides, why would she be jealous?"

"Because she used to hang around Spot all the time."

The smile disappeared. "Yeah, I heard about that…"

"He always gets those hoity-toity girls."

Riley cleared her throat. "Those what?"

Whip looked away embarrassingly. "You know what I mean."

They walked silently down the streets of Brooklyn – something most people weren't brave enough to do. These streets were rough, and the people who lurked around at night were feared by those who stayed confined in their own homes once the sun went down. Fortunate for Riley, Spot and his boys were the ones people were scared of, so being with Whip gave her no reason to worry.

The sound of Whip muffling a laugh brought back Riley's attention. She glanced up at him with a look of confusion. "What are you laughing about…?"

"Nothing, just…" Whip smiled. "Is it true Spot is the reason you got fired from your job and kicked out of that apartment?" His smile widened when she rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Yes, it's true. No, it's _not_ funny," Riley shot him an accusing glance before looking in front of her again, "and no, I don't want to discuss it any further."

"But you obviously have money, right? So why aren't you with your parents?"

"It's a long story." Riley replied shortly.

Whip scrunched up his eyebrows. "But you would pick to stay with a bunch of newsies instead of going home?"

"In a heartbeat." Riley answered sincerely. "Listen, my parents are great and I love them but there are some things you wouldn't understand."

"Guess so," Whip replied, shrugging his shoulders. "And that girl actually kicked you out of that apartment? And you _let_ her?"

"She has the power to tell my parents about Conlon," Riley explained. "And she must know by now that I got fired, so she could use that against me, too."

"Won't they find out anyway? They gotta check up on you and stuff, right?"

Riley let out a small laugh. "No, they would never come to Brooklyn. It took me a year to convince them I would be okay here."

"Okay, but… Wouldn't a girl like you usually be married by now?"

Riley bit her lip; it was true, she was at the age to be married. That was the reason she left, that was the reason she… No. She promised herself she'd forget all of that. Shaking her head from all those thoughts, Riley pushed the memories aside. "I don't want to talk about it."

"I have myself a girl, so I ain't hitting on you or nothing… But you're a knockout, kid." Whip pointed out, causing Riley to smile shyly and study her feet. He shrugged his shoulders in confusion. "I bet those high an' mighty shmucks were probably lining up at your door trying to scoop you up in their arms, right? Am I right?"

"Let's not talk about Staten Island, okay?" Riley asked, a bright smile still on her face.

Whip smirked. "Just curious, that's all."

Just curious… Those words wiped the smile right off her face. Ignoring his last comment, she shook her head. "Well, Bonnie has no reason to be acting this way." Riley said, her eyes fixed in front of her as they walked. "She's overreacting, and I just need to talk some sense into her. I can't stay in that lodging house anymore."

"C'mon, it ain't so bad."

"Well, people are allowed to talk to you, sweetie." Riley pointed out obviously.

Whip took off his hat, fidgeting with it nervously. "Right… About that… You're not gonna tell Spot, are ya?" He asked tentatively, quickly glancing at her.

"He won't know you spoke to me." She replied, suddenly remember Ryder's vicious black eye. "I won't say a word."

"Just don't tell him that you knew I followed you," Whip told her, putting on his hat. "He'd get pissed if he knew I got caught following someone." He pulled out his slingshot and started fidgeting with it. "I'm supposed to be quiet, so I'd get in trouble for you knowing I was following you and -"

"He's not going to find out," Riley cut him off, a small smirk on her face. Spot Conlon definitely knew how to make his boys nervous.

"I'm Whip, by the way." He said as they turned another corner, now close to the lodging house.

"I'm Riley."

"I know."

Riley sighed. "Of course you do."

"I've been here for three years." He stated matter-of-factly. "Spot will get used to you. Just don't do anything stupid that'll make him hate you and you'll be fine."

Riley looked up at the tall newsie beside her. The street to the lodging house was just around the other corner.

"Thanks, Whip." Riley said quietly. He raised a questioning eyebrow, and she let out a small laugh. "You know, for the advice. And don't worry – I never talked to you."

Riley continued walking while Whip waited around the corner, as if he was just following her the whole time. She sighed as she approached the lodging house. The only thing Riley could do was hope to God that Spot didn't find out Whip talked to her. She didn't want another newsboy to get a black eye on her expense.

Running her fingers through her hair, Riley walked into the lodging house, closing the door gently behind her. Despite her attempt to be discreet, the whole room seemed to freeze when the quiet wood door shut. Her breath caught in her throat when all eyes turned to look at the girl they all were forbidden to talk to. Among the crowd, Spot sat at the same seat from before, his magnetic eyes locked on hers.

Riley took in a long breath, stood up straight, and began walking to the staircase. Keeping her chin up confidently, she reached the stairs and ascended them to her room. Passing the bunkroom where the younger children were sleeping, Riley let out a breath she didn't know she was holding; happy to be away from all of that attention.

Climbing up the second set of stairs, she entered the storage room and sat on the cot. Riley wasn't the least bit tired, but she couldn't find the motivation to get up and change out of her dress. Twirling a lock of hair around her finger, she bit her lip in thought.

She really needed to talk to Bonnie…

A steady knock on her door caused Riley to jump in surprise. She looked at the closed door nervously.

"Who is it?"

"You know who it is, Cardoni." The voice said knowingly. "Open the door."

Riley tucked her hair behind her ear and stood up, taking a few steps to the door. Putting her hand on the doorknob, she stepped back and slowly pulled it open. Spot had his head leaning against the door frame, turning his eyes up from the ground once he could see her face. Riley had a look of confusion on her face; anxious to see what he wanted.

Spot stopped leaning on the doorframe and sighed. "I just wanted to say…" His voice began slowly trailing off.

Riley let go of the doorknob and tentatively crossed her arms. "Say what…?"

Spot finally caught her eye and opened his mouth to continue. Suddenly, as if he just caught himself doing something he regretted, the gentle part disappeared. His signature smirk and smug attitude took its place; and a familiar arrogant spark appeared in his eyes as he continued. "I just wanted to say that I like how tight ya dress is." He said temptingly, running a finger over the soft fabric on her waist; teasing her with his experienced hands. "You might need some help taking it off."

Riley stepped back in anger, putting her hand back on the doorknob. "Are you done?" She asked impatiently.

Spot seemed to struggle as he studied her eyes, looking so deep that she was scared he would see her true feelings. The fight to keep her eyes on his was emotionally exhausting her; she couldn't take dealing with him anymore tonight, it was too much.

After another moment, Spot was the first to look away. He let out a long sigh and once again leaned against the doorframe; his hand finding its way to the gold tip of the cane that was hanging through his belt loop. Riley bit her lip, doing nothing but waiting for him to speak.

"I just wanted to say…" Spot glanced down at his cane, unable to look her in the eye. "I'm just…" He stubbornly lowered his voice and let the words escape from his closed lips. "I'm sorry."

Riley heard him mumble something, but her mind was struggling to understand it. Did he just apologize? Or was she just hearing things…?

"You're what?"

"I'm sorry." He said more sternly, looking up into her eyes again.

A part of her wanted to tell him it was okay; that she was sorry for yelling at him, and didn't mean anything she said. But Riley couldn't bring herself to say it, because it would be a lie.

"You're _a lot_ of things, Conlon." Riley answered quietly, the anger visible in her eyes. "I don't think 'sorry' is at the top of the list."

Surprisingly, Spot didn't reply, although his icy glare said everything he wanted to say. Instead, he glanced at her arm. A faint bruise was noticeable where he had grabbed her, and he remembered how angry she got him just by saying a few words. Riley noticed him looking at the mark, and hid her arm behind the door.

"Look, I'm trying to be nice here, Cardoni." Spot said, his jaw clenched as he struggled to control his temper.

"Yeah, well, it's a little too late for that, ya think?" She snapped, surprising the both of them with her forwardness. Realizing she was going a little too far, Riley put her hand back on the doorknob. "I'm tired so –"

"Where did you go tonight?" Spot asked harshly before Riley could finish her sentence.

Riley tucked her hair behind her ear. "Bonnie's."

He snorted a laugh, crossing his arms across his chest and still leaning on the doorframe for support. "Why would you go _there_?"

"Why? Because I want out of this lodging house, that's why!" Riley exclaimed, as if the answer was obvious.

Spot remained unimpressed by her rising anger and quirked an eyebrow. "Then why did you come back, Cardoni?"

"She wasn't there." Riley grumbled disappointingly, although a part of her was happy she didn't have to face Bonnie tonight.

"No shit. I could've told you that," Spot replied, rolling his eyes as he took his weight off the doorframe. "Jacky boy has that girl in Manhattan all the time."

Riley sighed. "Yeah, I figured…"

"Yeah, well you wouldn't have wasted your time walking there in the first place if you _told_ me you were leaving." He scolded her. "What dumb broad walks through Brooklyn this time of night?"

"Oh, please! Since when do you care about what I do!" Riley exclaimed, fighting the urge to laugh in his face. "As long as none of your boys are talking to me, you could care less about what I do! Or _where_ I go! Or if I need your help!"

"Hey, if you wanna get killed out there, then go ahead and do it." Spot said, putting up his hands in defense. "But you're lucky as hell you're under my protection, doll. There are guys out there waiting for some dumb little girl to take a stroll all by herself this time of night."

Riley couldn't even think of a reply, because there was nothing she could say.

"And a girl with your looks?" Spot continued, his eyes studying her up and down. "You wouldn't last three minutes out there without my protection."

"Okay, I get it." She said reluctantly. "But… Why are you 'protecting' me?"

"You keep your mouth shut about what you saw outside The Romano Lounge that night; I keep you protected while you live with me." Spot explained easily.

Riley nodded her head, a quick chill running down her spine as the events of that particular night flooded into her memory.

"But once you're out of this lodging house, that's it. You're on your own." He said, the coldness of his words cutting through her heart like ice. "Just a warning for you, sweetface – this isn't Staten Island."

"I'm not a 'dumb broad', Conlon." She retorted. "So I would appreciate it if you stopped talking to me like I am."

"Then fucking smarten up, would ya?" Spot spat in frustration. He ran his fingers roughly through his hair to refrain from saying anything else.

Riley bit her lip as she looked at him, wondering why this one person knew exactly what to say to get her heated. This conversation was going nowhere, and now she was more confused than ever. "Well, that was a really sweet apology, Mr. Conlon, but if you don't mind I think I'm going to bed now." Riley said, her voice sarcastic and sweet as she tried to maintain her manners.

Spot sighed, crossing his arms and once again leaning on the doorframe. "Listen, Cardoni…" He began, breathing slowly to calm himself down. "I meant what I said – I'm sorry I put that bruise on your arm. You happy now?"

"Yes," Riley replied, trying to hide the smile from her face. It was obvious he hated swallowing his pride and saying those words to her.

"Good, because this is a one time thing so don't expect it to ever happen again."

"Right."

Spot nodded his head. "A'right then."

Riley remained silent as their eyes met one last time before he turned to leave. Without warning, before she could even stop herself, words were already escaping from her lips, "Conlon, wait!" She blurted out, stepping into the hallway as Spot reached his own door.

Riley clasped her hands behind her back, hoping like hell she wasn't crazy for asking for his help. "I need you to bring me to Manhattan."

Spot looked around the hallway, then back to her eyes. "Now!" He asked incredulously.

"Of course not _now_!"

Taking a moment to think about it, Spot eyed her suspiciously. "Why?"

"Because I can talk to Jack to make sure Bonnie is there, and then I'll show up and make her talk to me." Riley answered. He continued giving her a questioning look, so she let out a sigh. "And I won't play poker this time."

Spot narrowed his eyes at her last comment. "No, just go to her apartment."

"She probably won't even open the door if I did. Come on, Conlon."

Without answering her, Spot turned around and opened the door to his room. Riley was about to stomp back into her own room when Spot suddenly turned back around, an amused look on his face. "Say it."

Riley furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Say what…?"

He smirked. "Say _please_."

Riley's jaw slightly dropped in disbelief. This was all some game to him! Why does he care so much that she say 'please'! He just wants the satisfaction of hearing her say it. He wants to feel superior, knowing she had to 'plead' for his help.

"No." She said stubbornly, not giving into his wishes.

Spot smirked arrogantly. "Come on, prettyface. One word. Say it." His eyes watched with anticipation. "And say it _nicely_."

"This is so stupid, Conlon, honestly…"

Spot turned back around to walk into his room. "That answers your question then."

Riley stomped her foot on the ground in anger. "Oh my God, fine. Please! Are you satisfied? Please please please!"

Spot chuckled to himself before he turned back to face her. "Yeah." He replied after a few seconds of enjoying the defeated look in her eyes. "I'll bring you soon."

Riley was about to continue arguing with him, but was surprised when she heard him say yes. "Oh," She said quietly, taken aback by his unexpected answer. "Thanks."

"Yea, yea… Can I fucking sleep now?" Spot asked angrily. "Honestly, woman. You're annoying the shit out of me."

"Yeah, sorry." She answered, too tired to fight with him. Her mind was too hazy to do anything. Before she had any time to think things through, Riley was already on her cot, letting her exhausted mind rest.

There were so many unanswered questions running through her head, and her last thought before she drifted off to sleep was of Jack. Riley needed desperately to talk to Jack.

* * *

**This was supposed to be two different chapters, so that explains the length! This one's not something I'm really happy with, but it would take way too long to re-write. I promise things will get interesting again. You'll see! Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad you're all reading this story - I hope you're enjoying it so far!**


	15. Prove It

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Newsies, but I own the others.**

* * *

Riley studied herself in the mirror and bit her lip. She smoothed out the plain light blue dress that she was wearing, and tilted her head. This dress was once considered casual to her, but now it looked _too_ dressy. Anything in this lodging house seemed too dressy. Leaving her long brown hair down in loose waves, she put on her black leather boots and walked out of the storage room.

No one was in the lodging house, so Riley walked across the street to the pier. Just like she expected, Spot and a large number of his newsies had already taken over.

Clasping her hands behind her back, Riley nervously walked over to where Spot was sitting on a small pile of crates; not his usual perch, but still high enough for him to see what was going on around him.

As she made her way down the dock, she noticed Spin sitting on another crate. Giving him a quick smile, Riley walked by him and approached Spot. He was looking out at the water, and she wondered whether or not he noticed her yet. Before she could open her mouth to speak, Spot already started.

"Jack should be here soon." He said, answering her unasked question. He continued scanning the water, not yet sparing her a glance.

"Oh," Riley replied. "Okay, good."

"Me and him have some stuff to talk about," Spot continued, the reflection of the water sparkling in his eyes. "But afterwards you can talk to him about going to Manhattan." He finally glanced at her, and she nodded.

"Thanks," Riley said quietly, backing up slowly before finally turning away. She walked over to Spin and smiled as he tried counting the pennies that were laid out in front of him.

"How much?" Riley asked, taking a seat on the crate beside him.

"I don't know yet… How much is this one?" He asked, holding up a coin that he knew wasn't a penny.

"That one's worth 10 pennies…" Riley answered. She suddenly furrowed her eyebrows. "You don't know how to count money like that?"

Spin shrugged, looking down at his money. "I just count the pennies then let someone else add in those other ones." He replied, pointing out two coins that he didn't know how to count.

Riley took the time to teach Spin about different coins, and how to count them. She barely noticed Jack Kelly walking down the dock until he nearly passed her.

"Jacky boy, how's it going?" Spot asked casually, jumping down from his crate and spitting in his hand. Riley's head shot up to see Jack, and she was happy that she didn't have to wait any longer for him.

"Eh, you know," Jack replied with a shrug of his shoulders after he returned the handshake. "Same as always. Let's get this meeting over with…"

Riley could no longer hear them talk as they walked further away from her and Spin.

"Meeting?" She asked, giving Spin a questioning look as he pocketed his coins.

"Yeah. It's something the leaders do, or whatever." He answered.

Riley rolled her eyes at the lack of information and waited patiently for their return. She leaned back on a wooden pole and listened to Spin's latest selling story, closing her eyes as the sun poured down on her face. It seemed like Spin was talking forever… He had so many stories she practically went deaf.

" – and then, some dumb kid wearing a McKinney School uniform started picking a fight with my friend, Inky. So he beat up the school kid, and then the school kid started crying." Spin explained excitedly. "Seriously, he was crying! Like a little girl! And then we started walking away, but one of the teachers came out, and…"

"Slow down there, kiddo. You'll talk the ladies' ear off."

Riley heard the new voice and opened her eyes, squinting from the sunlight as she looked up. The shadow of a cowboy hat was visible, so she automatically knew who it was.

"Jack Kelly – just the man I wanted to see." Riley announced happily, shielding the sun from her eyes by lifting her arm in the air.

"Word's going around that you wanted to see me, Miss Riley." Jack replied, pulling her up from the ground.

"Well, it's true, Mr. Kelly." She said with a playful smile. "Now it's _my_ turn to have a meeting with you. Come on," Riley grabbed his arm and pulled him to the far end of the dock, away from the cluster of newsboys that were surrounding them.

There were no crates to sit on; just piles of old fishing nets, rope, and abandoned supplies the fishermen from the pier had pushed aside. Once they reached the end, Jack turned to face Riley and shrugged his shoulders. "So, what is it?"

Kicking away a discarded fishing net that had practically wrapped around her boot, Riley caught herself from tripping and stepped away. Smoothing out her dress in frustration, she caught Jack struggling not to laugh and sighed. "First of all," She started, settling down by crossing her arms. "What was that meeting with Spot about?"

Jack noted the suspicious look in her eye, and tried to act nonchalant about the whole thing. "Just a little problem with Harlem."

"A problem?" Riley raised her eyebrows and studied his face. "What problem?"

Jack looked over Riley's shoulder and noticed Spot trying to catch a glimpse of them at the end of the dock. Spot was far away, but Jack could still see the dangerous look in his eyes. Spot Conlon was _not _used to being left out of a conversation.

Turning his gaze back to Riley, he remained impassive. "We're here to talk about you and Bonnie, aren't we?" Jack asked, copying her by crossing his arms.

Rolling her eyes, Riley's curiosity refused to let it go. "I just don't understand what kind of 'problems' you could be having. I mean, you sell newspapers, don't you? What do you talk about in meetings?"

The calm look in Jack's eyes disappeared, and was suddenly replaced with a look of seriousness. "You're asking about things you wouldn't be able to understand, Riley. Not even if I explained it to you."

Confusion and impatience filled Riley's facial features. They were newsboys – what _problems_ could they be having? "But Harlem…?" She asked, letting the question trail off, awaiting some sort of explanation. "I just don't see how it could be so important that you can't even tell me about it."

"They just been giving us trouble," Jack answered sternly. He obviously didn't want to talk about it, but Riley was determined. "They been breaking some rules."

Despite her best effort to hide it, a small smile appeared on Riley's face. "Rules?" She asked in disbelief. "There are rules? Seriously?" It all of the sudden became difficult to stifle her laughter. "Come on, you sell newspapers, Jack! They're just _newspapers_!"

Although Riley meant no offense by her questions, Jack couldn't help but uncross his arms and slightly furrow his eyebrows as he looked at the girl in front of him.

He shook his head. "I can't believe how goddamn sheltered you are from the streets, Riley."

The smile faded from her face as she noticed Jack's hard expression. Throwing her hand over her heart, Riley immediately felt awful. "Oh God, I'm sorry, Jack. Really, I didn't mean it like that, I was just…"

"It's okay because you'll probably _never_ understand." He started explaining, not upset with her in the slightest, but slipping into his leadership role. "Look… They're just 'lousy newspapers' to you, but those 'lousy newspapers' determine whether we eat or _starve_. Whether we sleep on the streets, or have a roof over our heads at night… They're nothing to you, but they're _everything_ to us." Jack paused to take a calming deep breath, and continued with a softer voice. "Selling the headlines determines whether we live or die, Riley." He bent down slightly to look her in the eye. "Do ya understand that? We're newsies – we need every penny we can get. So there are rules, and they're important, a'right?"

Riley was surprised by his reaction, and could only look at him. Neither of them spoke for a moment. The distant splashes of the newsboys jumping into the river filled their ears; the far-off sounds of the city echoing off the water. Finally, Riley subtly nodded her head. "I understand." She answered. "I do, but… Why not Harlem? Why don't they understand how important these 'rules' are?"

Jack stood up straight and sighed, looking out at the water. "Different territories have different newsies," He began again. "Brooklyn raises the toughest newsies, Bronx boys are known to keep to themselves, Queens raises the drunks, over in Manhattan we're known as being friendly with the territories… But Harlem?" Jack shook his head. "Harlem raises the _dumbest_ newsies."

"…And they don't like Brooklyn?"

"They hate Brooklyn. The leader over there, Jip Jenkins, he has this huge thing against Spot."

"Hmm, I wonder why…" Riley commented under her breath, lightening up the moment by putting a smirk on Jack's face. Who knew life as a Newsie could be so complicated?

"And remember what you saw that night when you were leaving your job?" He suddenly asked. "That thing you saw happening in that alley outside of, ah…" Jack struggled to remember the name of the place, scratching the back of his neck as he looked down.

Riley raised her eyebrows. "The Romano Lounge…?"

"Right," He confirmed, looking up again. "Well, that whole thing is a part of the problem, too. The meetings are about other things we need to look out for, you know, it's a long story that I'm not gonna get into."

"Wait. That man…" Riley pondered, putting everything together in her mind. "The one who Spot said was sent to hurt him… He was from Harlem? The man they beat in that alley?" She asked.

Jack silently nodded his head, "Jenkin's sent him." He pulled out a cigarette from his front pocket and lit it, throwing the match to the ground as he took a long drag.

"So what 'rules' are they breaking, huh?" Riley asked, wanting to know more about the problem.

"Why do you gotta know _everything_?" Jack asked accusingly. "You're just as bad as Spot."

Riley scrunched up her nose. "Don't ever say that again."

Jack laughed and took another drag of his cigarette. After a moment, he finally looked at Riley to see her leaning against a wooden beam, staring at the ground.

"What's on your mind, kid?" Jack asked, blowing smoke in the air above him.

Riley glanced up at him. "Should I… You know, be worried…?"

He smirked, reaching for his cowboy hat and placing it on his head. "Of course not," He answered. "You're in Spot Conlon's territory."

"Yeah," Riley mumbled under her breath as she followed Jack down the dock. "That's what I'm worried about…"

"By the way," Jack said over his shoulder, throwing the cigarette in the water. "We can go to Manhattan tonight if you're up for it."

Riley perked up, suddenly remembering why she wanted to talk to Jack in the first place. "Wait, you already know…? We didn't even get to talk about it!"

"Spot already told me." Jack answered. He gave her a wide grin as he turned around to face her. "He's coming too."

"Why?" Riley complained, running up to him. They walked side by side off the dock, headed for the lodging house.

"Because he's Spot, and he wants to go." Jack replied as if that answered all of her questions.

"Does he always get everything he wants?" Riley asked, aggravation filling her voice. Jack laughed, but didn't answer as they entered the lodging house. Most of the newsies from the dock were inside as it came closer to sunset, making the common room loud and full of commotion.

Riley went upstairs to freshen up before they left, ignoring the nervous feeling in her stomach. For some reason, she absolutely dreaded confronting Bonnie. This was her only chance to get out of the lodging house and back into the apartment. Going back to Staten Island was _not_ an option… So tonight was crucial, and everything was now happening so fast.

Jack was waiting when Riley came back downstairs. She wore the same dress, but decided to pin some front pieces of her hair back instead of keeping it all down.

"It's a long walk to Manhattan," Jack warned her as she approached him.

Riley sat down beside him on an old ratty couch by the window and sighed. "How long…?"

"Long. You're gonna love it." Jack smiled, messing up her hair a bit. Riley punched his arm and was fixing her hair when the Brooklyn leader finally entered the lodging house.

How can one person give you butterflies every single time you see him? It was a question Riley Cardoni couldn't answer for the life of her. Someone can't be _that_ good looking, and appealing, and sexy, and irresistible…

"Hey, Spot!" Jack yelled for his attention, waving him over. Spot immediately caught Riley looking at him, and smirked knowingly when she immediately looked away. Her cheeks grew hot as she silently cursed herself for getting caught.

"Let's get going, huh? The sun's going down." Jack said, wanting to start the walk to Manhattan as soon as possible.

Spot kept his eyes on Riley, but she refused to look at him. Taking off his hat, he chuckled confidently, his ego boosting at the redness of her cheeks. Running his fingers through his hair, Spot looked at Jack and nodded. "A'right, give me a minute." He replied, putting the hat back on his head and turning away.

Jack relaxed his head back and extended his long legs out further, crossing one ankle on top of the other. "You know what you're gonna say to Bonnie when you see her?" He asked, tilting his head sideways to look at her.

Riley cleared her throat and took a deep breath, wishing the hotness in her cheeks would disappear. "I, um… Yeah. I know what I'm going to do." She answered, glancing at him quickly and nodding her head.

"Sooo…? What are you gonna do?" He asked, cracking his knuckles as he spoke.

She shrugged. "I don't know… Just beg and plead, I guess?"

Jack let his hands rest on his lap and sighed. "That's something you can think about on the walk." He replied, giving her a quick smirk before looking away again.

After hundreds of orders to his newsies, Spot finally gave the word to Jack and Riley that it was time to leave. Spot's second-in-command, Spike, was in charge of the remaining Brooklyn newsies as Spot, Riley, Jack, and two of Spot's boys headed out the front door and onto the streets. One of the boys was Whip, who gave Riley a very discreet smile on their way out of the lodging house; and the other boy was a large, and extremely scary muscle-head. Ironically, his name was Smalls.

Just as they stepped foot outside, Spot suddenly stopped walking. Riley had to jump back to keep from bumping into him, and was about to argue with him when she realized why they stopped.

The sun was setting, and the quiet street by the river was empty except for one person walking towards them. He was dressed the same as the rest of the newsies, but Riley had never seen him before. The boys' skin was tanned, and his black hair was messily slicked back. A determined look was set on his face, and as he came closer Riley could see a confident glint in his bright green eyes.

Noticing the hold-up outside, the other Brooklyn newsies exited the lodging house and glared at the boy Riley didn't recognize. Spike came forward to stand closer to Spot, and Riley stepped aside to grab Jack's arm.

"What's going on?" She whispered up at him, looking at the boy the whole time.

"That goddamn guy's from Harlem," Jack replied quickly, a look of anger on his own face.

Riley bit her lip, remembering the conversation they just had about the rivalry between the two boroughs. She kept her arm on Jack's, suddenly getting a bit nervous.

"What, are you lost, Dig?" Spike asked the boy tauntingly. Riley noticed Spot sliding his cane out of his belt loop, but he let Spike ask the questions. "Did you take a few wrong turns or something?"

"Nah, I ain't lost." The boy, Dig, replied confidently to Spike. "I'm here to deliver a message to Conlon." He nodded to Spot and crossed his arms, stopping just a few feet in front of him.

Spot exchanged a look with Spike and rolled his eyes. "Make it quick," He said impatiently.

"First of all, we heard about the dead body found in Brooklyn a while ago," Dig started grudgingly. "At least we had the decency to drop the bodies in front of your lodging house after we finished off some of _your_ newsies. We didn't leave them in some alley."

Riley's stomach turned nervously, gripping onto Jack's arm tighter. It's easy to forget how dangerous these street kids actually are…

Spot exchanged another look with Spike, and they both smiled. "Well, you can tell your leader he did a good job trying to get someone after me," Spot replied bitingly.

"Jenkin also wanted to tell you to keep ya spies out of Harlem. We would've soaked one by now but they're too damn fast, and now it's pissing him off."

Spot returned his cane through his belt loop. "Oh, that a fact?" He mocked, a smirk playing on his lips.

Dig clenched his fists. "Yeah, it is." He answered, narrowing his eyes. "Just letting you know - Jenkin said we're allowed to soak _any _of your spies if we ever catch one."

Spot didn't seem affected by any of Dig's comments. "He'll never catch one," He replied arrogantly. "Look, you're fucking boring and I'm busy, so you got anything else left to say?"

Some of Spot's boys laughed, and Dig's cheeks flushed with anger. "I don't care how fucking busy you are, Conlon." Dig retorted angrily.

The grey swirls of color in Spot's eyes turned dangerous. The street around them suddenly turned silent again. Dig's brow began to glisten in a nervous sweat as the smirk disappeared from the Brooklyn leaders' face. Disobedience was not allowed, and to defy Spot Conlon was an automatic invitation for trouble.

"You sure you wanna say something like that, Dig?" Spot asked calmly, his voice laced with threats so dark it gave Riley chills.

"I ain't scared of you or nothin', Conlon." Dig replied rebelliously despite the sudden shaking of his hands. He began to falter under Spot's glare, but he kept his position.

"Doesn't look that way to me," Spike laughed, his arms crossed confidently over his broad chest as he watched. Some began to snicker at his comment, but Spot put up his hand to silence them; his gaze never leaving Dig's green eyes.

"You think you ain't scared of me?" Spot questioned, staring him down.

Dig was slowly shrinking under Spot's overpowering authority, but shook his head 'no' as an answer. In a split second, Spot swiftly hit Dig's mouth with his fist. The impact was powerful enough to split his lip, but was restrained enough for Dig to remain standing. Riley's hands flew to cover her open mouth, gasping at the blood coming from Dig's lip.

"You ain't scared of me? So prove it, boy." Spot challenged him, his jaw clenched with anger. Another hit was sent to Dig's jaw. "Show me how fucking brave you are."

Spot's hits were only to provoke him, as if Dig was a child that needed discipline. Dig stumbled back, the fresh taste of coppery blood in his mouth. Spot stepped forward, glaring strongly into Dig's watering eyes and never looking away.

Dig stumbled over his words, "Look, Conlon, you – you better watch yourself, because I –"

Another hit. "You'll what, boy?" Spot interrupted him menacingly. "You'll fight me?"

Losing courage, the Harlem newsie wiped some of the thick blood pouring from his mouth with the back of his hand. "You're… You're making _big_ a mistake –"

Standing beside Spot, Spike rolled his eyes at the empty threat. Meanwhile, all of Spot's gang watched casually, many of them amused at the entertainment their leader was bringing them. Riley looked around at them, then back at Spot. Those cold eyes never left his opponent, and his lips were pressed together tightly as he controlled the anger building up inside of him. Spot always hated people who were stupid enough to challenge him.

"Fight me, Dig – _I dare you_." Spot said.

When Dig spit out more blood and gave no response, Spot's hard fist connected with his jaw again. Dig let out a painful grunt this time, holding onto his mouth as his glassy eyes continued to water.

"What's wrong? You ain't scared of me, remember? Show us how fucking brave you are, boy." Spot provoked further, his face mere inches from Digs.

Spike let out another laugh. "He won't even hit him," He commented to the others, causing them all to laugh with him.

Spot ignored the laughter and furrowed his eyebrows. "You gonna prove it or just stand there and bleed?"

The blood, the laughing… Riley couldn't take it anymore. "Jack, I want to leave. _Now_." She said to him sternly, walking by Spot and Dig in a huff as she continued down the street. Jack frowned in disappointment, mad he couldn't watch anymore. He let out a dejected sigh, rolled his eyes at the Brooklyn boys who looked at him, then quickly jogged to catch up to her.

For the first time since Dig arrived, Spot ripped his eyes away from him to witness Riley walking away. After a moment, he switched his gaze back to the trembling boy in front of him and gave him a look of disgust.

"You go back to Harlem and tell your leader how goddamn brave you are," He spat, taking a step back and pulling out his cane again. With one jab in the stomach, Dig doubled over in pain and fell to his knees. To make sure the newsboy wouldn't go back and make up lies, Spot hit him across the face with his cane.

It was a known fact that the golden tip left a bruise that would only come from the imprint of the Brooklyn leader's cane. Anyone who challenged Spot Conlon was left with nothing but humiliation; and now Dig would have to walk around Harlem with his mistake showing on his face. The black and blue would fade over time, but it was like a stain that never went away.

No matter what story Dig would tell, Jenkin would know the truth because of the bruise on his face. Reputation was important. Spot Conlon thrived on his reputation in this city. When someone questioned his power, he would prove over and over again just how strong he really was. Those as stubborn as Dig only increased his reputation.

The crowd of boys laughed as Dig composed himself and stumbled down the street in a swift run. It was nothing new – they were all used to Spot entertaining them with the fear he had over people.

Spot gathered Whip and Smalls so they could continue on their way to Manhattan, but Spike remained in the same position he was in before. The other Brooklyn newsies headed back inside, but the second-in-command stayed outside until Spot and the others were out of site.

Spike was the only one who noticed something that the others didn't…

Being the second-in-command, Spike was known for being observant. His eyebrows knitted together in thought as he leaned his back against the outside of the lodging house. Ever since Spot became leader years and years ago, he had _never_ looked away from an opponent. Spot's stare had the power to make the toughest men cower, and he was infamous for it. So why did he look away this time? Why did he look at the girl living in the storage room when she walked away?

Letting out a long breath and shaking his head, Spike dismissed the thought from his mind. It wasn't that big of a deal, but it was out-of-character for Spot Conlon to take his attention away from a fight – even if it was just for a few seconds. Especially if it was to look at some girl.

Spike pushing off the wall and entered the lodging house, laughing at himself for thinking of something so stupid. He was in charge of the rowdy gang tonight, and he had to get back to his duties.

Meanwhile, Riley and Jack continued their walk to Manhattan. Jack was right – the walk was long. Riley's legs hurt, but she was too proud to admit it. Jack was used to walking around every single day, so it was a challenge for her to keep up with him.

After a few pushes, she eventually made it over the bridge. The heat from the summer night wasn't a problem because of a soft summer breeze that kept them cool, but Riley was still thankful when they finally reached Jack's lodging house.

"You okay?" He asked, stopping before they went inside. Their walk was fairly quiet. Riley was lost in thought the whole time, so Jack let her clear her head. Now that they were in Manhattan, he wanted to make sure everything was alright.

Riley smiled weakly. "Yeah, I'm fine." She answered sweetly, despite the thoughts racing through her head. She couldn't watch Spot and that boy any longer, but now she couldn't stop thinking about it. Knowing she had to talk to Bonnie was getting her even more stressed, and now Riley just had a headache.

"Everything's okay – c'mon," Jack dragged her up the few steps to the front door. Riley turned to look for Spot and nervously bit her lip. She didn't know if he was even going to come now. It was important for Bonnie to know that there was nothing between them, so Riley actually wanted him there.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Come _ON!_"

After another shove from Jack, she found herself tumbling through the door and into a room. No one was there, but a large number of voices were heard from up the staircase.

"There ain't as many Manhattan newsies as there are in Brooklyn," Jack explained as he grabbed her arm once again, pulling her up the stairs. "So we hang out in the bunkroom because there's enough room, you know?"

"Are the boys I met in Brooklyn up here?" She asked quietly, pulling her arm away so she could walk on her own.

Jack smiled knowingly. "Yeah, Skittery is here."

"I DIDN'T MEAN IT LIKE THAT!" Riley yelled, slapping at his arm. Jack laughed at her.

Before they could take another step, someone ran to the top of the stairs and looked down at them. "Hey, it's you!" The boy exclaimed happily.

Riley covered her mouth, realizing how loud she just yelled. Jack laughed again, finding amusement in everything she was doing so far. The boy ran down some of the steps and stood in front of her. A huge smile came to her face when she recognized who it was.

"Racetrack!" She greeted happily, letting him kiss her hand like a gentleman.

"I _knew_ my favorite girl was coming to visit. I took bets for it 'cause NO ONE BELIEVED ME," Racetrack said, his voice pointed upstairs as he yelled loud enough for everyone to hear him. They reached the top of the stairs and he slung his arm around her shoulder. "Look, fellas – it's her! What'd I say, huh?"

Jack shook his head at Racetrack as he got to the top of the stairs. "I _told_ you she was coming, dumbass."

"Yeah, but they didn't believe me – come on boys, I won!" Racetrack said happily, letting go of Riley. She looked around in disbelief, fully aware of all the attention she was getting from a room full of newsboys.

"Hey, it's you!" Kid Blink exclaimed, just like Racetrack, once he recognized her.

"Now pay up, fellas. You know the drill." Racetrack said, chewing happily on one of his cigars as he left Riley's side and walked to a nearby bunk. Another boy she recognized, Mush, pulled out a few coins from his pocket and reluctantly spilled them into Racetrack's open hand.

"You made a bet on me?" Riley asked in amusement, watching Racetrack place the money in his pocket and walk to the other side of the room.

"Race said Jack talked to him earlier," Mush explained as he stood up from the bunk he was sitting on. "Said Jack told him the girl from Brooklyn would be stopping by tonight."

"Yeah, but no one believes anything Race says," Jack added, now standing behind Riley. Racetrack snorted with laughter.

"Easy for you to say, Cowboy. You're too scared to bet against me." Racetrack retorted, now standing at the far end of the room. His hand was held open again as another boy reluctantly clapped a couple of coins on his palm. Riley had to hide her smirk. She recognized _that boy_ too…

Jack rolled his eyes, ignoring Racetrack as he put up his hands to get everyone's attention. "Boys, this is a good friend of mine," He said, placing his hands on her shoulders. "The name's Riley Cardoni. Originally from Staten Island – now living in Brooklyn."

Riley was impressed that Jack remembered all of this, but had no time to comment about it as he continued talking.

"And Riley, sweetheart – these are my boys. Best newsies in all of New York, if I do say so myself." He smiled charmingly at her, giving her shoulder a squeeze before letting go.

Riley smiled. "Of course," She replied as Jack led her further into the bunkroom.

"You already know Blink and Mush," Jack nodded to them, then squinted his eyes to find the other two as he looked around the room. "And you know Racetrack and Skittery." He finished, finding them approaching from across the room.

"Correction: you _really_ already know Skittery." Racetrack teased with a toothy grin, reaching up and grabbing the hat off of Skittery.

It seemed like the whole room let out a knowing 'oooh…' after they heard Racetrack's comment. Riley averted her eyes to the ceiling across the room and bit her lip, hoping her cheeks weren't too red as she shook her head.

"A'right, a'right, that's enough." Jack laughed, making the whispering and knowing smiles disappear.

Skittery ran his fingers through his hair and smirked. Riley finally caught his eye and smiled, nodding her head in greeting before she looked away again. Skittery grabbed his hat back from Racetrack and punched his arm.

"You probably won't remember these names," Jack continued, saving Riley from any further embarrassment as he went back to introductions. "But I'll tell you them anyways." He pointed out each and every newsboy and gave their names, having to catch his breath once or twice before he finished. Many of them had left the bunkroom after their names were called and went downstairs, leaving the bunkroom less crowded.

Eventually, Riley lost count after the name "Dutchy," but was happy to see that none of them expected her to remember them all anyway.

Suddenly realizing why they were in Manhattan in the first place, Riley turned to face Jack. "Jack," She said quietly. "Where is she?"

Jack looked down at her and kept his voice soft. "Everything's all set up. One of my boys, Snitch, took her to some seamstress to get one of her dresses fixed." He explained. "I said I was busy, but I didn't want her to go alone so I sent him with her."

"And they'll be back soon…?" Riley asked, nervously twirling a lock of her long hair around her finger.

"Yeah, any minute now." He replied, looking back to the stairs as if he expected Bonnie to be walking up them at that very moment. Riley followed his gaze to the stairs and took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves.

Bonnie would forgive her, right? Well, it would be easier if Spot was there to back her up, but Riley quickly pushed that thought away. A part of her didn't even want to see Spot at all. Tonight reminded her why Spot had the reputation he did. He probably wouldn't even help her, anyway.

"Come on, you already have a girlfriend, Cowboy – share the wealth!" Racetrack yelled, causing the other boys to laugh.

Riley smiled and walked over to him. A table was pulled out from the corner and placed in the middle of the room, so she took a seat between Racetrack and Skittery. Her back was to the stairs, but the arrival of Bonnie lingered in her mind. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all… Spot Conlon was usually the one who made everything miserable, so without him around she might get some luck.

Racetrack turned to talk to her, but his gaze fell to someone over her shoulder. "Well, well, well…" He said smugly. Riley looked at Racetrack's face and knew someone had just come up the stairs. "Look who finally decided to grace us with his presence."

Wait, did he say _his_? It wasn't Bonnie?

"What can I say? I guess you bastards got lucky tonight," Spot's arrogant voice replied, getting the boys around her to laugh.

Riley turned in her seat and felt her stomach drop. She knew that look in his eyes… He wasn't going to be nice tonight; especially not in front of a whole different borough of newsies.

"Shit," Riley whispered under her breath, turning back around. Skittery raised his eyebrows in concern.

"What is it?" He asked.

Riley looked up at him and sighed. "Nothing, I'm fine, I'm just…"

"Just…?"

Glancing back at Spot real quick, Riley put her hand to her forehead. "I'm just _screwed_."

* * *

**I said Bonnie would be a main focus in this chapter but… I was kidding? I don't know, it didn't work out that way so she will be in the next chapter. I was being lazy and didn't feel like writing, but I re-read the reviews for the last chapter and got really inspired - so thanks to all the reviewers! I'm loving the interesting feedback– keep it up and let me know what you think!**


	16. Embarrassing Riley

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Newsies, but I own the others.**

**A/N – This takes place right after the last chapter!**

* * *

Skittery raised an eyebrow and exchanged a look with Kid Blink.

"What'd you say?" Skittery questioned, glancing at Spot before his eyes landed on Riley again. "Why are you screwed?"

"Why did he have to come here?" Riley whined quietly to herself, closing her eyes and using one hand to massage her temple.

"What, uh…" Blink leaned forward on the table, keeping his voice low. "What do you mean exactly? You know, by being screwed?"

Skittery scooted closer. "Yeah, what'd Brooklyn do now?"

Dropping her hand from her forehead, Riley propped her elbow on the table and sighed. "Bonnie hates me right now,"

"We know." Skittery and Blink interrupted in unison.

"And I wanted to talk to her tonight." Riley continued, narrowing her eyes at their interruption. Kid Blink put his hands up in defense, so she kept going. "Like I was saying… Bonnie has a huge grudge against Conlon because she used to really like him, and now she's mad at me because I got caught speaking to him, right?"

They both nodded, leaning in further as she lowered her voice to keep from being heard.

"So… Why the hell would Bonnie forgive me if I _came here_ with him? She wouldn't."

Skittery ran his fingers through his hair. "Maybe it's a good thing, ya know? Spot could back you up."

"Yeah, he could tell her nothing's going on with the both of ya," Blink agreed. "Help you out a little bit, ya know?"

Riley rolled her eyes, sitting up straight in her chair again. She chanced a quick glance to the Brooklyn leader, who was laughing with a few of the other boys, and shook her head. It certainly was funny to see how many newsboys sucked up to the guy. Looking back at Skittery and Kid Blink, she let out a sigh. "That's what I thought, too." She explained. "But think about it… Spot Conlon has no reason to help me. I know for a fact he won't do that for me… I just know it."

Kid Blink shrugged, leaning back on his chair. "Maybe you'll get lucky."

"Making my life hell is nothing but entertainment to him, Blink." Riley explained quietly. "He thinks I'm nothing but a bored rich girl that he can mess with."

Skittery noticed the nervous look on Riley's face and slung his arm across her shoulders. "I wouldn't worry about it, shortstuff." He said reassuringly, smirking down at her.

Standing up from his chair, Kid Blink nodded in agreement. "Skitts is right. She'll forgive ya. Bonnie's a nice girl." He paused in thought, shrugging one of his shoulders. "_Jealous_ – but nice."

Skittery laughed, and Riley bit her lip to stop herself. Skittery's strong arm that was slung casually around her shoulder kept her mind occupied, and it was hard to keep the smile off of her face. Who would've thought she could find newsboys to be so handsome?

"So, Spot." Racetrack's voice was suddenly heard as he walked over to the Brooklyn leader. Skittery and Riley turned their attention to the corner of the room where Spot stood. "What's with the grand entrance, huh? Why didn't you come with Cowboy and the lady?"

Spot acknowledged Racetrack with a lazy smirk on the corner of his lips. "I had a little interruption," He replied casually. "Just something I had to take care of."

Riley shuddered at the thought. His confrontation with the newsboy from Harlem was nothing but a mere 'interruption'?

Jack laughed, clapping Spot on the back. "He called it an interruption, but everyone else thought it was a good show, right boys?"

Whip and Smalls, the two Brooklyn boys who accompanied Spot to Manhattan, laughed along with Jack.

"Yeah, but not everyone," Spot replied, a lopsided smile on his face as he nodded in Riley's direction. All attention turned to her. "Cardoni couldn't handle it, could ya gorgeous?" Spot winked at her, causing the boys to snicker.

Just to spite him, Riley cuddled closer to Skittery and sent Spot a glare. While the other boys continued with their laughs and conversations, Spot stopped smiling and met her stare. A scowl came to his face as he clenched his cane tighter, narrowing his eyes with a warning. Those familiar butterflies came to her stomach.

Suddenly, Riley felt guilty putting Skittery into this situation. It was true; she was attracted to the Manhattan newsboy, but the wave of satisfaction that ran through her body when Spot got angry was more powerful than she thought it would be. Skittery was a flirt, and Riley knew he had no deep feelings for her or anything, but it still made her nervous. Would Spot ever _hurt_ Skittery?

Riley felt Skittery's arm stiffen, and she knew that he must've noticed the look on Spot's face as well. For some reason, it wasn't surprising to her that Skittery was scared of Spot. All street kids were. Whether they respected him from fear or loyalty, there was no doubt about it; Spot Conlon _did_ have a reputation in this city, and it was becoming clearer to her with every day that passed.

Jack shoved Spot's shoulder to get his attention, and suddenly the moment was gone. The jealousy on Spot's face was replaced with amusement as he talked to his fellow leader, and Riley had to question whether or not she imagined the whole thing.

"Hey, hey!" Racetrack yelled, getting everyone's attention. "Shut up! I have an idea!"

Riley turned back around to see Racetrack standing on a nearby chair.

"How about," Racetrack started slowly. "We play a game." He smiled and looked at Riley. "A little game of poker. Who's up for it, huh? Anybody?"

Riley narrowed her eyes at him as everyone laughed. She pulled out of Skittery's loose hold and stood up; a look of defiance on her face as she casually put her hands on her hips, meeting his challenge.

"What d'ya say, Riley Cardoni? You got any money on ya this time?" Racetrack asked, unable to keep a straight face as he jumped down from the chair.

Riley opened her mouth to say something, but someone else cut her off.

"Who needs money when she'll kiss who ever wins a hand?"

The cold voice could only belong to one person. Closing her mouth, Riley slowly turned to face him. The smiles from before were wiped from everyone's faces as Spot Conlon stood a few feet away from Riley, a disgusted look on his face as he leaned against a bunk.

"Excuse me?" Riley asked angrily, looking straight into the storm of his grey-blue eyes.

"You heard me," Spot challenged, pushing off the bunk as he took a step forward. "Throwing yourself at someone instead of paying up, am I right?" His voice was calm, but his eyes were interrogating.

It took every ounce of energy in Riley to hide the wave of hurt that shot through her body. A part of her wanted to stand up for herself, but another part of her was upset… Weren't they sort of 'getting along' last night? He apologized to her! Why did he insist on embarrassing her? …Riley wanted to kick herself for overanalyzing his apology from the night before. Why would the most feared leader in all of New York be nice to _her_?

As much as she hated to admit it, Riley was confused and didn't know what to think. Without even thinking, she found her mouth opening as the emotions built up inside of her spilled out. "Seriously, Conlon - why do you have to be such an arrogant asshole all the time!"

It felt like the whole room went quiet after Riley blurted it out. A look of surprise fell over Spot's face; his amused eyes now growing wide with disbelief. Just as fast as it appeared, his shock was wiped away and replaced with a look of annoyance.

"I am _this close_ to throwing you on the streets, woman." Spot sneered, his hand in the air as he measured a small space between his fingers. "So remind me - why the fuck do I put up with you? 'Cause the last thing I need is a loudmouth broad on my hands who needs to learn her damn place."

"Why do you put up with me!" Riley laughed at the question. "You put up with me because you're scared! You're scared because for _once_, in your whole life, someone has power over you."

"Power over _me_?" Spot laughed, looking around at the other boys. "I think you're forgetting who I am, dollface."

"But I know exactly who you are." Riley answered casually. "You're Spot Conlon. King of Brooklyn. A tough guy. A leader… A _murderer_."

Spot's face dropped, pressing his lips together in anger. He grabbed her arm and pulled her aside, glaring at anyone who dared to look at them. The other newsboys looked away from the Brooklyn leader; minding their own business and pretending to be occupied with other things.

Letting go of Riley's arm, Spot stopped dangerously scanning the room and looked into her eyes. "You think you're smart or something, don't'cha?"

"I just have a good memory." She replied.

"I'd watch your tongue, princess. All these empty threats could get you hurt."

"I dare you to hurt me," Riley retorted bravely. "I'm not some street rat, Conlon. You can get away with murdering some lowlife from another borough, but you'd be thrown in jail for the rest of your life if you even tried hurting me."

"I don't care who the fuck you are," Spot replied, his voice dangerously low as he moved his face closer to hers. "You're nobody around here – nothing but a girl who is in the way. I could feed you to the wolves right now and just shut you up for good."

Riley refused to look away, knowing it was a sign of weakness. Instead, she tilted her chin further up to meet his eyes. "Then what's stopping you?"

Spot looked down at her and smirked. "It would take a lot to make me wanna mess up a pretty face like this." He said, cupping her cheek in his hand.

Riley stepped back and smacked his hand away, her chest falling up and down from her heavy breathing as she tried controlling her temper.

The smirk fell from Spot's face as he turned serious again. "But that doesn't mean it won't happen."

Unable to think of anything to say in return, Riley attempted to steady her breath. His eyes studied her, knowing he won the battle.

"I'd watch yourself, Cardoni." Spot warned, looking away and removing his hat. He ran his fingers through his hair, looking around the room before putting the hat back on his head. "You're pushing it, and I'm not gonna waste anymore time with you."

Before Riley could even reply, he kept his eyes away from her and walked back to the others. Her eyes turned to look at the wall as Spot continued on like nothing happened.

"Where are the girls, huh?" His cocky voice boomed through the bunkroom.

"At their lodging house," Mush answered for him.

"Why the hell are they there! Do they know_ I'm_ in Manhattan?" Spot asked, looking around the room.

Racetrack smirked and shook his head. "We'll invite them over when you bring some of _your_ girls around, a'right?"

It was the first time the thought occurred to Riley… Were there girl newsies in Brooklyn? She never met any, and never heard of one. Although, Spot did have a way of keeping her out of the loop of things.

"You gonna stand there all night or sit down and relax?"

Riley was ripped from her thoughts and looked over at Skittery. The seat next to his was still open, and an adorable smile was on his face. Spot now sat on the opposite side of the room, away from the small group that was gathered around the table.

"I _guess_ I could sit down for a little bit," Riley joked, walking over to him and taking a seat. His arm rested around the back of the chair, and she bit her lip to keep from smiling any wider. From across the room, Spot didn't spare her a single glance, and kept focused on the conversation he was having with Jack.

"Don't let him bother you," Skittery whispered, leaning down so his mouth was just above her ear. "He likes working you up, that's all."

His hot breath sent a shiver down her spine, and Riley nodded her head. She quickly looked away from Spot and smiled at Skittery, grateful to have someone who understood.

Kid Blink sat across the table and pulled out a cigarette. He handed one to Skittery, and held one out in front of Riley.

"You smoke?"

Riley shook her head. "No, thank you." She said, a polite smile on her face.

Skittery lowered the unlit cigarette from his mouth. "I can go outside if you want me to. You know, if it bothers you or something…"

"No, no, it's fine." She reassured him, laughing at his manners. "My father smokes, so I don't mind it."

Skittery lit up his cigarette and leaned back on his chair. "So, tell me," He started. "How do you like spending your time with a bunch of lowly newsboys?" He blew the smoke from his mouth and smirked down at her.

Riley laughed. "If you only knew how horrible life can be when you have money," She replied. "It's not all it's cracked up to be."

"Hey, Skitts – you playing or what?" Racetrack asked, holding a deck of cards in his hand.

"Nah, I'm out." Skittery replied, bringing the cigarette back to his lips.

Riley raised her eyebrows. "You don't want to play?"

"Why would I play a card game when I could talk to you?" Skittery replied smoothly, flashing her a smile.

Riley laughed out loud. "That was real cute - do you use that line often?"

Skittery shrugged, blowing more smoke from his mouth. "Only on the special girls."

This caused her to laugh again, and a small smirk played on Skittery's lips. "You're good," Riley commented between her laughs. "I'm impressed. Very impressed."

Skittery curled his arm around her neck and pulled her closer. "You making fun of me, Miss Riley?" He teased, smiling wider as she struggled.

"Of course not!" She replied as he pulled her closer. "I swear!"

Skittery let go and looked down at her. "Good," He replied, brushing away some hair that fell in her face.

Before another word could be spoken, they were both interrupted by someone from across the room.

"Hey, congratulations, Skitts. Looks like you won another hand!" Spot yelled, laughing with those around him.

Skittery sighed in frustration, removing his arm from her shoulder and running his fingers through his hair. Riley noticed this, and narrowed her eyebrows at Spot. He was on her last nerve, and she would _not_ let him get away with teasing her all night.

Riley stood up from her seat; her action causing some of the laughter to die down as the boys awaited her next move. She crossed her arms, clicking her tongue in pity as she looked at the Brooklyn leader across the room. "Come on, now… Are you really _that_ jealous, Conlon?"

Spot snorted with laughter. "Jealous of who, sweetheart? Skittery?"

"Sure seems like it."

"Yeah?" Spot asked harshly, glaring deep into her eyes as he stood up and took a step forward. "With the rate you're at, I bet you would kiss every single one of Jack's newsies if you were here long enough," He accused, letting his anger out as he tried embarrassing her.

"I would? You think so, Conlon?" Riley asked sarcastically, furrowing her eyebrows and nodding her head dangerously at his accusations.

He continued without falter; the blue in his eyes completely faded and replaced with nothing but intense grey. "Yeah, and let me tell you something else, prettyface…" Spot's voice practically echoed off the silent bunkroom as he spoke. "Skittery here actually accepted your offer during that poker game - but _me_?" A lewd and insulting smirk appeared on Spot's lips before he continued. "_I_ would've laughed in your face, Cardoni."

Riley could practically feel the anger building inside of her. She wanted to punch him, or spit on him, or throw something. Okay, so Spot wouldn't want to kiss her – so what! Why did she care so much? Why was she so insulted? The smirk that tugged at his lips was absolutely infuriating. Spot knew exactly what he was doing, but Riley wouldn't let him win.

Taking another step closer to him, Riley defiantly kept her eyes locked on his as she spoke. "Alright, now it's _my_ turn to tell _you _something," She suggested bitingly, gaining more confidence as more sparks of anger appeared in his eyes. "If _you_ were playing in that stupid poker game, I wouldn't have even agreed to the damn bet!"

Jack put a hand on Spot's shoulder and tried to keep from laughing at the fight. "A'right guys, let's calm down…"

"Wait, I'm not done." Riley interrupted boldly, her eyes never leaving Spot's. The nervous adrenaline pumped through her whole body as every spiteful word slowly left her mouth. "If I _did_ kiss every single one of Jack's newsies, you'd be even MORE jealous – and then _I'd_ laugh in YOUR face. So do yourself a favor, Conlon - don't give me anymore ideas. You might regret it."

A few snorts of laughter were muffled from the newsboys surrounding her, but Riley heard nothing. Time seemed to stop as she waited for Spot's reaction. A part of her wanted to turn around and run; returning to her home in Staten Island and never facing the likes of Spot Conlon ever again. But, despite her fear, Riley would not falter. She dug herself deeper and deeper into this hole and there was no way she would be able to climb out of it.

It was surprising when Spot hesitated for a moment. Who the hell was this girl, anyway? He was getting sick and tired of letting her treat with him such disrespect. The Brooklyn leader never had a problem with women. They either begged to sleep with him, or admired him from a distance. He had been with countless women from the same class as this girl, and they've all worshipped him, so why was _Riley_ such a pain? Why wouldn't she just back down and accept the fact that _he_ was in charge, and there was nothing she could do about it?

Looking into her eyes, it finally hit him. Spot almost laughed at himself for being so stupid… Riley Cardoni wasn't different at all. He just had to use a different approach. Instead of fueling her anger, he would have to try something else…

Without another moment of hesitation, Spot Conlon quickly gained his confidence back. Instead of reacting to her comment, he took a step forward. The distance between them suddenly disappeared, his face now less than a foot away from her own. The tables turned, and now it was Riley who hesitated.

Spot lowered his voice to a husky growl, looking down at her seductively. "Think about it, gorgeous…" He murmured, running the back of his hand down her bare arm. "Why would I be jealous when I could have you _whenever_ I feel like it?"

His words felt like ice cold water being poured over her head. Riley's jaw dropped as she quickly moved her arm away from his hand. "I would never!" She replied loudly, appalled that he'd say such a thing.

His eyes remained locked with hers, daring Riley to look away first. "But you want to," Spot answered under his breath. She gasped slightly when she felt his strong hand on her waist. His skin was rough and callused from hard work as he ran it across the soft fabric of her dress, pulling her closer. Satisfied with Riley's reaction, he smirked. "You _know_ you want to…" He repeated, well aware of the scene he was making in front of the other boys.

Riley's cheeks flushed red with embarrassment as she put her hands on his chest, trying her hardest to push him away. Her voice remained low as she fought against Spot's powerful hold. "Listen, Conlon, I'm from Staten Island. Your reputation meant nothing to me until just recently, so let go of me and get your cheap thrills from somebody else."

"You want to, Cardoni. You don't gotta lie." Spot said again, reaching up one of his hands and brushing his thumb down her cheek. His smirk was taunting; as if he knew she was lying about wanting him, and was trying her hardest to control herself. Snickers from some of the boys in the room gave Riley a sick feeling in her stomach.

"Let me go right now or you'll regret it." Riley demanded through her gritted teeth, but Spot only held her tighter; that arrogant smirk on his face as he looked around at the other faces with amusement in his eyes.

"Hear that boys?" Spot asked, laughter obvious in his voice. "She said I'll regret it." Riley reached up to slap him, but he quickly caught her arm. She looked into his eyes with anger boiling her blood, wanting nothing more than to disappear and never show her face again.

Nobody heard the front door of the lodging house open. Nobody heard the two sets of footsteps walking up the stairs.

The only thing they heard was a loud gasp of anger, followed by a flutter of materials dropping to the floor. All eyes turned to the top of the stairs; Bonnie stood with her jaw dropped and eyes full of shock, the dress she was holding now sprawled out on the floor after she dropped it. Snitch stood behind her, his eyes wide as he looked at Jack.

"What is this?" Bonnie asked accusingly, the anger building up in her eyes. Riley was caught in Spot's arms, and anybody that walked in would get the wrong impression.

Riley pulled out of Spot's grasp and opened her mouth. "B-Bons, I, um… It's not…"

"Jack!" Bonnie cut her off, looking at her boyfriend for answers. "What is she doing here! And with _him_!"

Bonnie pointed at Spot, and Riley felt her mouth drop open. She was blowing her only chance of getting back into the apartment, and her mind was racing with things to say. "Bonnie this… This looks really… _really_ bad, but I…" Riley closed her mouth, barely able to put two words together as she shook her head. "Honestly, it's… It's not what you – I swear, I -" She let out a sigh of frustration, and looked at Jack for support. "Jack, tell her!"

Jack was unable to help. He had his hands up in his own defense, unsure of what he should do under Bonnie's severe gaze.

Spot smirked as he watched the scene in front of him. "Go ahead, Cardoni." He said, glancing at Riley and motioning her forward. "Now's your chance - do what you came here to do."

With that said,he stepped back and watched with amusement. Once again, Spot Conlon got the better of Riley Cardoni, and for some reason he was enjoying every minute of it.

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**Sorry it took so long to update. Like I said when I updated ****Out of the Refuge****, I just went through a bad break-up so I've been a little occupied. Fortunately, I found that writing keeps my mind off of it, and I have written **_**a lot**_** of this story. The second half of this chapter will be posted in a day or two – please keep up with the amazing feedback so I know what you all like! Thank you so much for cheering me up!**


	17. Bonnie

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Newsies, but I own the others.**

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Riley Cardoni silently cursed to herself. She knew it would be hard to convince Bonnie to forgive her, but Spot was definitely not going to help one bit. Riley had been friends with Bonnie for a while, and she knew how difficult her former roommate could be. Bonnie always had to be right, no matter what, so Riley had a feeling this argument wasn't going to go too well…

"It looks like your friend is in a good mood, Cardoni. This should work out just fine, don'tcha think?" Spot teased sarcastically as he stood behind her. Riley could hear the pleasure in his voice, causing her fists to clench tightly together.

The dress had fallen pathetically at Bonnie's feet, but she continued to stare accusingly at Jack.

A slightly doomed look crossed Jack's face the second he heard Bonnie yell for him. Riley immediately felt bad; he obviously wasn't expecting his girlfriend to start demanding answers from him. Still, Riley couldn't help but stare at him in disbelief, waiting for him to finally speak up.

"Jack!" Bonnie persisted, causing Jack to jump forward.

"Look, hun, it's not what you think. Riley came here to -"

"I don't care what she came here to do," Bonnie cut him off, crossing her arms and giving Riley a disgusted look. "Because if she thinks that I'm going to speak to her when she's going out with Spot Conlon then -"

"I'M NOT!" Riley finally yelled. "You're jumping to conclusions, Bonnie! I was _never_ going out with him, are you serious!"

"I want to go home, Jack." Bonnie said, interrupting Riley. "Take me home _now_."

"What's your problem!" Riley yelled, stepping in front of her. "Why the hell are you acting so childish! It's not my fault you got JEALOUS when Spot came to talk to me that night! You didn't need to kick me out for it!"

With her arms still crossed, Bonnie scoffed at the insult. "I am not jealous of you, Riley. I kicked you out because I saw who you _really_ are."

"Who I really am!" Riley asked, confusion all over her face.

"Look at you!" Bonnie yelled accusingly, throwing her hands in the air to make an even bigger scene. "Instead of going home to Staten Island, you go and live with SPOT CONLON! Not to mention the fact that you're acting like a whore – flaunting all over the _prick_ in front of a room full of boys!" It was unlike Bonnie to say an unladylike word like 'prick', so her anger was apparent when it was spat from her mouth.

Riley couldn't believe Bonnie's accusations. "Flaunting all over him! I was trying to slap him!" She defended herself. "And you KNOW how important it is to me to live away from my parents! If you wanted to keep me away from Conlon so bad then why would you kick me out! Obviously I can't stay away from the '_prick_' if I have to live with him! In a STORAGE ROOM!"

Kid Blink snorted. "The '_prick_' is still in the room, ladies."

"Yeah, I am." Spot confirmed with an amused smirk. He was watching the argument with his full attention, letting his ego grow bigger by the second. Riley shot him a look to shut him up. From the look of it, Spot Conlon was used to girls fighting over him.

Bonnie shook her head in disappointment. "You're unbelievable, Riley. Honestly. You can't even stay away from a guy when you're in a room full of people."

Riley ran her fingers through her hair, getting fed up with all of it. "Believe it or not, honey, but you have no idea what you're talking about."

"Really?" Bonnie replied with a laugh. "Because what I _just saw_ didn't look too convincing…"

Riley took a deep breath to calm down and took a step forward, bringing her voice lower. "Look, I don't want to fight with you. I didn't come all the way here, over that stupid bridge, just to fight with you. I came to apologize and set things straight – not fight."

"_I_ think you two should fight!" Racetrack piped up enthusiastically. Some of the boys tried stifling their laughter, including Spot, and both girls shot warning looks at Racetrack. "…It was just a suggestion." He said, slouching in his chair to avoid their gazes.

"My point is - he's going to use you and throw you away like trash," Bonnie began suddenly, turning away from Racetrack and staring her old best friend in the eye. "Don't come running back to me when it happens."

"It hasn't happened." Riley replied, crossing her arms in defiance. "It hasn't happened, and it _won't_ happen."

"I saw the way you looked at him, Riley." Bonnie replied knowingly, lowering her voice. "You had that look in your eye – the same look you get when you get yourself in trouble for being so curious all the time! I told you to stay away from him and you just _had_ to know why!"

Spot had been silent through the whole argument, but he couldn't stand it anymore. Before Riley could open her mouth to reply, Spot stepped forward. "Look, sweetheart, why don't you mind your own fucking business." He said to Bonnie. "It ain't my fault you were obsessed with me last year, so don't take it out on Cardoni just 'cause she looked at me. _A lot _of girls look at me – you gonna go psycho on _them_ too?"

Riley looked at Spot in shock. She felt her heart beat faster, a small smile coming to her lips as he stood up for her. It was true; Spot Conlon was always full of surprises. Maybe she just underestimated him. Maybe, just maybe, the fearless leader of Brooklyn was actually a nice guy.

"Stay out of this, Spot! This has nothing to do with me being jealous!" Bonnie replied angrily, stepping on her fallen dress without even noticing.

Jack sighed in frustration, stepping in between Spot and Bonnie. "A'right, this is over. I don't wanna hear anymore." He demanded, putting his hand on the small of Bonnie's back to lead her to the stairs.

Riley glanced at Bonnie's retreating figure, but couldn't think of anything to say.

Spot looked around the room as everyone stared at him. There were questioning looks from the boys who feared and respected him, and Riley was at a loss of words. Usually Spot was the one who fueled the fire; always entertained by fights, and causing trouble whenever he could. Spot Conlon would never stop a fight – so what was he doing?

Quickly changing his attitude, Spot looked at Jack and smirked. "Yeah, take the girl home, would ya? I was having some fun getting close with Cardoni here before she walked in and fucking ruined it."

Jack stopped walking and turned to Spot, sending him a look to shut his mouth. It was too late. Bonnie turned to face Spot and gasped with disgust.

Riley knew it was too good to be true. She looked at Spot angrily, almost in shock. "Excuse me!"

With a smug smirk still tugging at his lips, Spot leaned back casually on the end of a bunk as he looked at Riley. "C'mon gorgeous, I don't wanna lie to our friends anymore." He licked his bottom lip and shrugged one of his shoulders.

Riley wanted to kill him. What the hell was he doing! "Shut up, Conlon, this isn't funny so shut up!"

"Not now, Spot. Don't be fucking stupid." Jack said.

Spot chuckled and studied Riley's face, arrogantly giving her a wink as she narrowed her eyes at him.

She turned quickly to Bonnie and approached her. "You're going to listen to him instead of me?" Riley asked. "You trusted me to move into the apartment, didn't you? And you trusted me when I said it was a good idea to go talk to Jack that day you met him, right? You've always trusted me!"

Bonnie directed her gaze to the floor, letting out a long sigh.

"Come on, Bons…" Riley urged desperately. "You know my type, and Conlon is the _last_ person I would have feelings for…" Cutting off her own sentence, Riley sternly pointed a finger back at Spot; knowing he was about to open his mouth again. "DON'T even say it."

Spot gave her a cold glare. "How do you even know I was gonna say something?"

"Because you're an asshole and all assholes would open their mouths at a time like this," Riley retorted quickly.

Spot shook his head, "I've said it before and I'll say it again, Cardoni." He started, casually leaning on the bunk behind him once again. "Girls shouldn't swear – it's unattractive."

Riley felt her anger building. "Well, you're the expert in that field, aren't you?" She hotly turned away from Bonnie to face him. "It figures you would know_ everything_ about 'unattractive women' and what makes them that way."

Spot smiled to himself. "Is that jealousy I'm hearing…?"

"Yeah, because I'd absolutely love to be a whore and sleep with you." Riley replied sarcastically.

He confidently chuckled to himself. "Tell me something I don't know, sweetheart."

"…And I'm _so_ jealous," Riley continued heatedly, her voice still sarcastic as she went on. "I envy ALL the girls you've rolled in the sheets with. Tell me, Conlon - how many is it? Half the female population of the city?"

Spot shrugged, playing with the gold tip of his cane. "More like 75 percent."

She scoffed. "And what about the other 25 percent, huh? Saving them for later?"

He looked up from his cane and shook his head, raising his eyebrows. "Nah, I have standards."

"Standards?" Riley laughed in disbelief. "What, they have to have two legs and a dress you can lift up?"

"It's a lot more than that, prettyface." He replied smoothly, crossing his strong arms across his chest. "Still doesn't hide the fact that you're _jealous_."

Bonnie switched her stare back and forth to both of them; witnessing first-hand how they interacted. The other boys saw it as entertainment, but Jack quickly stepped in.

"Back off, both of ya." He said, pulling Riley away from Spot. "You're giving me a headache."

Riley finally looked away from Spot and took a deep breath. Suddenly realizing Bonnie was still here, she turned around to face her.

"Bonnie, I just… I need you to forgive me… I can't do this storage room thing anymore, and I really don't want to sleep on that cot again, and…"

Bonnie put up her hand. "I'll think about it." She answered quietly, giving Riley one last look before disappearing down the stairs.

Jack sighed. "I'll talk to her," He reassured Riley. "I'll come see you tomorrow, okay?"

Riley nodded. He gave her a friendly peck on the forehead, knowing she needed it, before dashing down the stairs to walk Bonnie back to Brooklyn.

"So, that was fun." Racetrack broke the silence, pulling the cigar out from between his lips and giving her a smile.

Riley rubbed her temples. "It was a disaster." She complained, leaning up against the wall. "I just want to go to sleep, can we leave?"

Spot exchanged amused glances with his Brooklyn newsies, Whip and Smalls, and laughed down at her. "We'll leave when I_ want_ to leave, woman." He said, as if it were obvious. "I'll tell ya when I'm ready."

Her jaw slightly dropped as he 'shooed' her off to a corner of the room, turning his back to her to take a seat at the table.

"Fun isn't over yet…" Racetrack, who was also at the table, mumbled to Skittery. Skittery saw the fed up expression on Riley's face as well and snickered; knowing Spot had finally gotten on her last nerve.

They were right. "No, I'm not going to wait until you tell me to do _anything_!" Riley retorted, finally closing her mouth and walking to the table. "I'm serious, Conlon, you've done enough Goddamn damage, so can we_ please_ just leave! Now!"

Spot let out an annoyed sigh, talking to the newsies at the table instead of turning to acknowledge her. "I feel bad for the man who marries this broad, I swear," he said, shaking his head. "God rest his soul - the poor bastard that has to deal with this bullshit."

"You're lucky I'm too tired to slap that look off your face," Riley muttered angrily; shoving passed Smalls and Whip as she stomped away. "I'm leaving, asshole. So have fun with your card game."

Spot suddenly shot around in his chair. "You walk out that door, princess, and I swear to God you're _gonna_ regret it."

Riley glanced back at him, narrowing her eyes.

"Sit down, Cardoni." He ordered in a low growl, letting her know how serious he was.

Skittery exchanged a look with Racetrack and scratched the back of his head. "I'll walk her, Spot." He spoke up, breaking the tension between them. "I mean, I don't mind or anything."

Racetrack kicked Skittery's foot under the table; shooting him a warning look, telling him to shut his mouth. But the damage was done, and Spot turned to Skittery with a scowl.

"None of you are walking her home," Spot said, eyeing the whole room before his eyes landed on Skittery again. "You know the rules about my territory, and no Manhattan boy is setting foot in Brooklyn with this girl, got it?"

Skittery crossed his arms across his chest, but looked away in annoyance. The Manhattan newsboys uneasily kept quiet as the order was shot out. Skittery was smart enough not to mouth off to Spot Conlon, no matter how much he wanted to. Riley looked at Skittery with a hint of a smile on her lips. He smirked at her, shrugging one of his shoulders and rolling his eyes once Spot looked down to his cards again.

Feeling like some child, and completely embarrassed, Riley forced herself to obey and sat down on a nearby bunk; letting out a quiet groan of aggravation. This had been one of the most difficult nights she could remember, and she had a feeling it wasn't even close to being over yet.

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**Sorry guys, my mailbox was full because I'm an idiot and never erase stuff, sooo I didn't get any of the e-mail alerts for the reviews. That's why I haven't been replying to them, so forgive me! Believe it or not, but more does happen in this 'night' so this was a good place to end the chapter. I just want to say how inspired I am by all the reviews – I can't believe how unbelievable you all are! Thank you so much, I really mean it! Please keep it up and let me know what you think! Things will be heating up pretty soon.**


	18. Blush From Brooklyn

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Newsies, but I own the others.**

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It's crazy how two lives can be so completely different.

In Riley Cardoni's world, a person's power was based solely on social status, so someone like Spot Conlon was nothing more than a lowly newsboy; considered homeless and underprivileged, just like all of the other trivial street rats that inhabited the sidewalks of the city. Life in Riley's world taught you to shut out their existence, because a commonplace newsie was never worth a second glance from someone of a higher class.

In Spot Conlon's world, however, members of the upper class held no power. A girl like Riley Cardoni, despite her social status, was just another girl – _nothing_ more, _nothing_ less. Respect and reputation was the only way to gain power on the streets. You had to work your way to the top, no matter how difficult the tasks or how hard the consequences. The life of a "street rat" had its own ranking, and to be a leader was its highest position.

So now, after living with the Brooklyn leader for this short period of time, Riley Cardoni was introduced to a world she never knew existed. In Spot's world, Riley held no power. Instead of being the center of attention at a party, she was sitting alone on a bunk bed.

That night, stuck in the Manhattan newsboy lodging house, Riley Cardoni came to a conclusion… These two worlds were meant to stay separated. Bonnie was being childish if she thought a relationship with Jack Kelly would ever work out. A wealthy girl could never fit in with a group of street rats; just like a lowly newsboy could never fit in with Riley's social class… They were meant to stay away from one another.

More aggravated than ever, Riley let out a long sigh and took in her surroundings. Spot Conlon was playing poker with Skittery, Racetrack, and Kid Blink. The rest of the newsboys were scattered around the room, and some still remained downstairs. Spot's newsies, Whip and Smalls, were conversing with a group of boys across the room. It was as if the loud confrontation that just took place between Riley and Bonnie had never happened. Spot had ordered Riley to wait until he wanted to go back to Brooklyn, so she was forced to stand by and obey. Never, in a million years, did Riley think she'd follow the orders of a newsboy…

After a few games of poker, Spot threw down his cards and stood up.

"I forgot how much I fucking hate you," He said jokingly to Racetrack, pushing out his chair to walk away.

Racetrack smiled, dodged Spot's fist, and began gathering the pile of money he just won from the middle of the table. "And I just _love_ reminding you why you do," He replied, counting the money.

Riley looked up, hope etched across her face once she heard Spot leave his seat at the table. Unfortunately, he had no intention of leaving just yet, and walked across the room to where Whip and Smalls were standing.

Groaning impatiently, Riley remained sitting on the bunk, fidgeting with her hands as she stared down at them. Her whole body ached, and the tight dress around her waist was just dying to be replaced with a loose nightgown. She sighed to herself; instead of getting her much needed sleep, Riley was stuck in Manhattan until Spot felt like leaving.

Thoughts of leaving the lodging house on her own ran in and out of her mind. But, no matter how angry she got, Riley wouldn't allow herself to do something so stupid. Spot had agreed to protect her, but he wouldn't hesitate to get rid of her, either. She felt like a burden to Brooklyn and his followers, but had to constantly remind herself that Spot didn't deserve any sympathy. She wouldn't be in this situation if Spot hadn't barged into her life in the first place…

"Hey, you!" An angry voice called out, causing Riley to look around. She saw Racetrack, Kid Blink, and Skittery looking at her from the poker table. Racetrack continued glaring at her before he spoke again. "You too good to spend your time with us? Or do you actually _like_ staring at the floor?"

Shaking all of the pestering thoughts from her mind, Riley took a moment to smirk at the three boys she now considered friends. "You boys actually think_ you'd_ be more entertaining…?"

Skittery smiled, stretching his leg underneath the table to kick the chair opposite him out a little further. "Get over here, kid." He demanded, looking into her eyes but nodding his head in the direction of the chair.

Standing up from the bunk, Riley walked around and sat down on the chair Skittery motioned to. Next to her was Kid Blink, and across from them sat Skittery and Racetrack. She made sure Spot was a good distance away before taking her seat, but quickly noticed that the Brooklyn leader was now in a conversation with a group of boys across the room by the window.

"I really would've walked you home, ya know." Skittery told her, pulling his chair closer to the table so Spot couldn't hear.

"I would've gone, too," Kid Blink added. "But I guess that's out of the picture now that Spot made it clear we ain't _allowed_ to." His tone of voice showed he was just as mad as everyone else after Spot had ordered them around.

"I saw it coming a mile away," Racetrack said to Riley, shuffling his deck of cards. "Spot's got this thing against people getting too close to you or something."

"Because he doesn't want me having fun!" Riley replied with a roll of her eyes, glancing toward the window. Looking at Spot, the perfect example of arrogance, snickering at some stupid joke made Riley's blood practically boil. She looked away and clenched her fists; feeling easily agitated now that she was exhausted.

"Don't let him get to you," Skittery said calmly, but it was no help.

"I can't believe him sometimes!" Riley went on angrily, ignoring Skittery's interruption. She kept her voice low as she vented, the three boys listening intently and trying not to laugh. "God forbid _I_ actually_ enjoy_ myself!" She continued sarcastically, "Because we all know it would be the end of the _world_ if I was happy, or _smiled_, or - or _laughed _about something!"

"You have to pretend it don't bother ya," Racetrack advised her, placing his deck of cards back on the table. Skittery and Kid Blink nodded in agreement with him. "Trust me, sweetheart – we know Spot, and when he gets bored with ya he'll find something better to do."

Listening to Racetrack, she let out a long sigh and took a moment to calm down; although the anger was too much to completely go away. Tonight was becoming too much to handle. "I just don't know why he has to single me out all the time, like I'm some target." Riley said grudgingly, looking at the back of Spot's head and narrowing her eyes.

"Spot's always been an asshole," Blink explained with a shrug, leaning back on his chair. "Don't take it personal or nothing… He's known for it."

"But he ain't one to pick on someone _this_ much, ya know?" Skittery retorted to Kid Blink, taking a moment to pull out a cigarette from his front pocket, striking a match. "I mean, he usually picks on a _bunch_ of people… Not just one person," he paused to light his cigarette, and blew out the smoke, "Especially a _girl_ – know what I mean?"

"Yeah, but this is different." Racetrack replied knowingly, propping his elbows on the table. "Riley ain't just any girl. She don't drool all over him like the rest of them broads do."

"Well, not in _public_…" Kid Blink joked with a smile. "Who knows how she acts when she's by herself."

Riley elbowed his side, smiling as the others laughed. "It's true, I'm in love." She muttered sarcastically, rolling her eyes as she looked over at Spot again. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and the buttons to his shirt were open to reveal his hard, tanned chest. Pieces of his hair stuck out from beneath his cap, appearing blonde from his days in the sunlight. Whip and Smalls stood behind him, their arms crossed over their chests; laughing along with Spot as they joked around with a few of the Manhattan newsies.

Riley felt exhausted, and every part of her hated the Brooklyn leader she was looking at… Then, all of the sudden, much to her surprise, Riley's felt something light flutter in her stomach. It was only for a moment, because she quickly averted her eyes away from Spot, looking down at the table. Maybe she was getting sick, because Riley couldn't possibly be getting _butterflies_ from looking at him. Not now… Not after what he did to her tonight.

"It's obvious why Spot is so mean to ya," Racetrack spoke up, catching Riley's attention again. He was striking his own match and lighting a cigarette. He shook out the small flame of the match and took a drag, blowing out smoke as he looked knowingly into Riley's eyes from across the table. "Think about it - Spot's mean to everyone, right? Always picking fights and demanding respect… But he doesn't like _you_," he added, pointing his lit cigarette at her sternly, "because _you're_ the only person who fights back."

"He's got a point," Kid Blink agreed, now propping his elbows on the table like the rest of them. Suddenly a thought popped into his head, and a small smirk came to Blink lips before he continued. "Now that I think about it… The last time two people fought this much around here was when Snipeshooter thought it'd be funny to steal all the King's from Racetrack's deck of cards."

Riley raised her eyebrows at Racetrack.

"It was my lucky deck!" Racetrack yelled loudly, slamming his fist on the table. Riley flinched, but the other two laughed. The impact caused ashes from Racetrack's cigarette fall onto the wood. "It was the stupidest prank I've _ever _seen! Who the hell steals four cards!"

"Relax," Skittery laughed, finding it just as funny as Kid Blink. "C'mon, he gave them back to you!"

Riley felt completely out of the joke. By the looks on Blink and Skittery's faces, she could tell it was some inside joke that they used to get Racetrack worked up. She couldn't help but bite her lip to keep from laughing.

"I don't care," Racetrack muttered, his face red with anger as he put the cigarette back to his lips. "The scab is gonna get it… I swear, damn kid messing with my lucky deck… "

Kid Blink smiled at Riley. The subject was obviously funny to them, and she could tell they brought it up as much as possible. Just shaking her head at their antics, Riley tucked a long lock of hair behind her ear.

Just when she was starting to really enjoy the boys company, the sound of the creaking staircase filled their ears. Half the room glanced to see who was coming up the stairs, including Riley. It was probably some of the newsboys coming upstairs, or maybe Jack ran back and was already done walking Bonnie home. In the end, Riley was the only one who was surprised to see who it really was. Well, who _they_ really were…

She felt her spirit drop, and dread fill her whole body. This was the last thing Riley needed. Appearing at the top of the steps were two newsgirls. Memories from the party at the Brooklyn lodging house flooded her memory. Riley first met Jack's newsies that night, along with three Manhattan girls who stopped by for a little while. It was a memory Riley wanted to forget.

Riley remembered the lump that appeared in her throat when the Manhattan girls showed up that night, surrounding Spot like he was the only man on earth. She remembered their flirtatious smiles whenever Spot would lick his lips, or make them laugh. She remembered the girl on his lap, acting like she was Queen of Brooklyn as Spot rubbed his hand up and down her thigh. But most of all, more than anything, Riley remembered the way Spot looked at her that night… Stopping her in her tracks, and making her heart beat so fast she thought it would explode. Spot was surrounded by three beautiful girls that night in Brooklyn, but he was looking at Riley… Almost as if he were taunting her… Daring her to look away, because he knew she couldn't.

The painful memories were quickly wiped from her mind when Kid Blink's voice brought her back to the present; facing reality once again to finish what the night had in store for her.

"What are you doing in Manhattan!" Kid Blink stood up from his seat and ran to one of the girls. He swept her up in his arms and spun her around, practically knocking the other girl out of the way.

"Watch it, will ya!" The second girl complained, a look of disgust on her face as she quickly put distance between herself and the couple. Riley quickly recognized her as the girl from Spot's lap, and almost left the lodging house without a second thought about how dangerous it could be.

Kid Blink put down the first girl, flinching with laughter as she punched his arm. Riley didn't recognize the girl Kid Blink hugged, but had a feeling that she'd be just as bad as her friend…

"I hate when you do that! How many times have I told you, huh!" She laughed, giving him one last punch for spinning her around. The girl seemed to be a few inches taller than Riley, with light brown hair that reached her shoulders in gentle waves. Riley couldn't tell whether her eyes were blue or green, but one thing was for sure – Riley had never met her before.

Turning on her chair to face Skittery and Racetrack again, Riley lowered her voice. "Who is that girl?" She asked, pointing behind her to where Kid Blink stood.

Skittery glanced over at the couple. "Oh, that's Blush." He answered, looking at Riley once again. "Blink's girl. They've been together for a while."

Racetrack started shuffling his pile of cards again, but nodded across the room to the second girl. "And the girl she came here with is Kel - "

" – yeah, I know." Riley cut him off, glaring at Kel as she approached Spot. "I met her."

Racetrack nodded as he remembered, and kept his mouth shut. Her first impression with Kel was anything but friendly, so he decided not to talk about it.

" – hold on, you need to meet Riley."

Riley looked away from Spot and Kel at the mention of her name. It turned out to be Kid Blink, who was leading his girlfriend back to the table.

"This is Riley Cardoni – the girl that's been living with Spot." Kid Blink said.

Blush smiled knowingly, nodding her head as if she realized who Riley really was. "It's nice to meet you, hun," She said politely, extending her hand. Riley politely shook it as she continued. "Just call me Blush. I live in Brooklyn, too. I usually sell in Brooklyn, but I stayed in Manhattan last night."

" - _Without_ telling me." Blink cut in, giving her a stern look.

" - _Without _telling my boyfriend," Blush corrected herself, mimicking Blink's attempt to be serious. Racetrack laughed, and Blink tried pouting out his lip. His pout just turned into his usual grin as he pulled Blush down to his lap. Shaking her head, Blush turned back to Riley. "I was selling all day and couldn't stop by to tell him I was here," She explained herself, wrapping her arms around Kid Blink's neck.

Riley turned to Skittery and smiled; she thought it was adorable the way Blush and Kid Blink acted together, and completely forgot about Blush being just like Kel. Obviously they were complete opposites. Then, a thought suddenly popped into Riley's head, causing her to knit her eyebrows together in confusion. "Wait… You said you're a_ Brooklyn _newsie?"

Looking away from Kid Blink, Blush saw the expression on Riley's face and let a small laugh escape from her lips. "I know, I know… Most girls don't sell in Brooklyn." She explained, rolling her eyes at the thought. "People say it's too _tough_ for girls, but know what I say? _No_ territory is too tough for a girl – as long as ya know how to throw a good punch, you're all set." Blush ended with a wink, and Riley couldn't help but laugh.

Unfortunately, the moment didn't last long. A laugh was heard from across the room, and Riley almost felt sick to her stomach. She forgot about that girl Kel. But it's not like it mattered anyway, right? It's not like Riley had feelings for Spot, so who cares if all these girls had crushes on him? It was disgusting, and he could have fun with them!

Glancing quickly over to Spot, Riley quickly wished she didn't.

Kel was clung onto Spot's arm, playing with his suspenders every once in a while as she talked to him. Spot moved over to a chair by the window and sat down. He pulled up another nearby chair beside his, and allowed Kel to sit next to him; the arrogant spark in his eye reappearing as she smiled brightly and touched his leg. Obviously Spot was enjoying it, but the newsies around him began to separate. Even Whip and Smalls seemed annoyed by her.

"Is he going to stay here even_ longer_ now?" Riley asked, turning away from Spot.

Skittery shrugged, picking up cards that Racetrack just dealt him. Looking up from the game, he surveyed the situation and sighed. "Hate to break it to ya, gorgeous – but he's looking pretty desperate and Kel looks willing to entertain him."

Racetrack snorted with laughter, never looking up from his cards. "Good job bringing her, Blush. Real smart of ya," He said sarcastically, a joking smirk on his face.

"How was I supposed to know!" Blush defended herself, looking over at Racetrack. "Besides, it was _her _idea to come here. I just came along to say hi to Blink."

Riley ran her fingers through her long hair and smoothed out her dress, letting out a long sigh. Blush noticed and looked at her questioningly.

"Wait… You're going to wait for Spot to leave before you go back to Brooklyn?" Blush asked in disbelief, coming to her own conclusion.

Riley covered her mouth as she yawned, shaking her head. "No, of course not – I'm tired and would _love_ to go back…"

"Except Spot won't let one of us take her." Blink explained for her. "You know how jealous Spot gets when it's one of his girls…"

"I'm not one of Spot's girls!" Riley argued.

Kid Blink rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean," He replied.

"I'll do it." Blush offered.

Riley looked at her in disbelief. "You'll walk me back?"

"I need to walk home anyway, so let's go." Blush stood up.

"Go where!" Kid Blink whined as Blush left his lap.

"Brooklyn." She answered, leaning down and giving him a kiss.

Excited to finally get going, Riley stood up to give Skittery and Racetrack kisses on their cheeks; making sure nobody else saw her leaving. Kid Blink pulled Blush down for another quick kiss, telling her he'd see her soon. Just as they were about to walk down the steps, a loud voice stopped them.

"Where the hell do you think you're going, Cardoni?"

Riley closed her tired eyes and sighed. Opening her eyes again, she slowly turned around to face Spot, but Blush spoke up instead.

"I'm walking her back, Spot. Calm down, will ya?"

At that very moment, Riley realized how much she liked this girl. Spot stared at them for a minute, as if making up his mind. Kel was left abandoned in her chair, but was eyeing Riley suspiciously. Finally, after a few more seconds, Spot turned to one of his newsies.

"A'right… Go with 'em, Smalls." He ordered, nodding to the girls at the staircase. "Me and Whip'll be back later."

A part of Riley felt disappointed that Spot was staying for a while longer, but she tried not to think about it. Her mind was just messing with her because she was so tired. The only thing Riley wanted was to go to sleep.

The three of them walked down the steps, away from the loud noise of the bunkroom, and into the quiet streets. Riley took a deep breath of fresh air, thankful that she was finally out of that stuffy room.

Her question was finally answered – Brooklyn_ did _have girl newsies. Riley smiled to herself. She had a lot of girl talk to catch up on, and Blush seemed like a girl with answers. _Lots_ of answers...

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**Review, Review, Review! I'll update in a day or two – so it'll be quick! I've been busy, but I just wrote the next chapter. Thanks so much to all of you unbelievable reviewers! Sorry I've been so out of it lately. Oh, by the way, Quirky Del – Look, I stuck to my end of the deal!**


	19. Something Unfamiliar

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Newsies, but I own the others.**

**A/N – Yes, I'm alive, I swear! I've been on vacation, but now I'm back and ready to start writing! Just for your information, this chapter is only going to be a filler. Some eventful things are going to come up next chapter, but I don't want to post it until I'm happy with what I wrote. Right now I feel like it needs improvement. I'm working on it! This shorter chapter concludes the long night of Riley visiting Manhattan…**

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The lodging house was now out of sight. Riley crossed her arms over her stomach, thinking of a way to break the silence that fell between her and the two Brooklyn newsies that accompanied her. Smalls stayed a few steps behind her and Blush, but she felt him staring at her and it added to her discomfort.

Finally, Riley spoke up. "I'm sorry for being such a pain."

"Don't worry about it," Blush laughed, shrugging it off. "I live down the street from the lodging house and Blink hates it when I walk alone anyway, so at least I'm with someone else. I'll just see him tomorrow."

Riley bit her lip, turning to give her an apologetic look. "And I'm sorry for ruining your time with Blink." She added sheepishly.

"It's okay; I wasn't expecting to see him long." Blush said, shrugging that off as well. "I heard one of the boys talking about you going to Manhattan tonight, anyway; and I know Spot's been giving you problems, so I'm glad I could get you out of there."

Riley nodded her head, not yet realizing what Blush just told her. A few steps later, the words finally sunk in, and Riley found herself anxious to hear more. "Did you say someone was talking about _me_…?"

Blush raised her eyebrows slowly, glancing sideways to catch the look on Riley's face. "Damn," She laughed in disbelief. "Spot _really_ has ya sheltered in that lodging house, don't he?"

It took a moment for Riley to answer. She angrily clenched her teeth, unable to control it, and looked off to the side of the street as she tried to calm the unexplainable anger that just shot through her body. Why would she be offended by that? Why should she be offended when all Blush was doing was telling the truth? Spot had an obsession with power, and he did everything he could to make Riley feel inferior. Maybe hearing it from someone else just made it worse…

"We all know about ya, kid." Blush continued with a mischievous smirk, quickly glancing back at Smalls as she said it.

"You _all_?" Riley blurted out with surprise, turning her gaze back and forth between Smalls and Blush as they walked. "Wait, who is ALL? What are you talking about!"

The shocked look that suddenly appeared on Riley's face caused the smirk to fade from Blush's lips as she hastily corrected herself. "Well, wait - no, it's not _bad_ or anything…"

Riley didn't buy it. "How… How in the…?" Thoughts were jumbled in her head, trying to figure out what Blush meant. "Who else knows about me besides the boys in the lodging house?"

"All of us," Blush answered conversationally. "Well, it's all stories… I mean, _everyone_ knows everyone's business around here anyway-" she paused to shake her head at the annoying thought before continuing. "–but word gets around fast."

Still taken aback by the information, Riley furrowed her eyebrows. "Stories about what?"

"Are you kidding? You're a _girl _staying at Spot's lodging house!" Blush laughed, her voice loud as it filled the silence of the empty streets. "That doesn't happen a lot, _believe me_, so it's been the biggest story since… Well, probably since Spot stole another leader's girlfriend at one of the Harlem's parties."

"He did that?" Riley asked in disgust.

"Yeah, last month." Blush replied, smiling at the memory. "Anything story about Spot spreads through the city like wildfire – it's caught everyone's attention, hasn't it, Smalls?"

Riley and Blush both glanced back at the large Brooklyn newsie behind them. Smalls quickly avoided Riley's eye, but looked at Blush and answered with a thoughtless nod.

"See?" Blush piped up, exchanging a triumphant look with Riley before they turned away from Smalls and looked forward again. "Stories spread fast."

Riley opened her mouth to ask more questions, but closed it again. Being curious always got her in more trouble, and she knew Smalls would report back to his leader with every word she said. So instead of prying for more, she let out a hopeless sigh and dropped the subject.

The streetlamps offered a dim glow as silence fell once again upon the three teenagers as they walked through Manhattan. Not one of them seemed to be in a rush to get back to Brooklyn, all for their own reasons. Smalls stayed behind the girls, following Spot's orders and scanning the dark alleys and street corners for any trouble. After all, he was a Brooklyn newsie, and was always looking for a decent fight.

A light breeze swept wisps of hair off of Riley's face, and she hugged her torso tighter. Her confrontation with Spot was still fresh in her memory, and a pit formed in her stomach as it all sunk in.

Blush tossed a section of shoulder-length brown hair off her shoulder and looked at Riley. Living in Brooklyn meant you had to be tough, but it was obvious Blush never lost her heart to the cruelty of the borough. Riley felt Blush studying her, and cast her eyes downward. There must have been a reason why Spot accepted this girl to sell in his territory, and Riley had no intention of finding out what it was…

The only sound was the patting of their shoes on the cobblestone when Blush decided to speak again. "It must be hard."

Caught off-guard by the unexpected tone in Blush's voice, Riley ripped her gaze from the ground and looked at her. "What do you mean?" She asked tentatively, nervous about what Smalls might overhear.

Blush spoke as if Smalls wasn't even behind them. "You know, how Spot ordered the boys to ignore you… Not having anyone to talk to."

Riley looked back at Smalls, who glanced to the side of the road. "It gets boring sometimes." She replied, giving Blush a shrug before looking down to her boots again. "I still don't understand why he doesn't want them speaking to me… but then again, there are _a lot_ of things about Conlon I don't understand…"

"Then why the hell would you stay there? Where are your parents?"

"Staten Island," Riley sighed, rolling her eyes. "And I_ know_ you all think I'm some fool to be staying here instead of going home-"

"…Basically…"

"- but it's a long story, and you wouldn't understand no matter how much I say, so I won't waste my breath, or your time, attempting to explain myself…"

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Blush stopped her, trying not to laugh. "Just thought I'd ask, that's all."

Riley bit her lip, forcing the thoughts away. Blush would never understand, none of them would; they never had to live the life she had… There are some things in life a lot worse than selling newspapers.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sight of the Brooklyn Bridge, now visible in the distance. Blush raised her eyebrows at Riley's outburst, but knew not to question it any further. The trio kept their pace slow; Smalls glaring at a drunk that was slumped in a corner, looking for any sign of trouble. He sighed with boredom, realizing the drunk was harmless, and continued walking silently behind them.

"I didn't mean anything by it…" Blush timidly spoke up, her voice soft but sympathetic. "You a'right?"

"Yeah, of course," Riley answered in a laugh. Her cheeks felt heavy as she forced the smile that was now on her face, hoping to seem unaffected by the night's events. "I'm perfectly fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

Blush shrugged, kicking a pebble with her foot as they walked. "Just a question." She replied lightly. "I mean, Spot _was_ a little rough on you back there… Especially in front of everyone like that…"

"Spot doesn't bother me… I'm just tired." Riley offered as an excuse, trying her hardest to seem nonchalant. The walk back to Brooklyn seemed much longer than the walk to Manhattan, and the last thing she wanted to do was talk about Spot.

Blush nodded slowly. The walk became silent once again; both of them stuck with their own thoughts. It was obvious Blush didn't believe Riley. Any target of Spot's was destined to be unhappy, and it was now a known fact that this girl had become a major target.

Feeling the need to comfort her, Blush took in a deep breath and tried to explain. "Look, Spot isn't the _friendliest_ guy in the world," she ignored Riley's snort of laughter and continued, "but it's only 'cause he always seems to rubs people the wrong way. He does it to everyone."

"I know, I'm getting used to it." Riley said in response, suddenly feeling uneasy that Smalls was listening in to everything they were saying.

"It's how he got where he is today, ya know?" Blush shoved her hands in her pockets, looking forward as she thought about it. "He needs to act like that. Newsies respect him, Brooklyn takes pride in him, kids look up to him, girls give up anything to have him…"

Riley tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, looking down to the ground. She didn't want to hear this right now.

"… But you're new to all of it," Blush concluded. "Don't take it personally - he just loves the fear he has over people."

Snapping her head up, Riley almost laughed. "Trust me, I am not _scared_ of Spot Conlon. I don't fear anything about that boy."

"Whatever you say, girlie." Blush replied with a smile as they stepped onto the bridge. "All I'm saying is that I wouldn't be surprised if you're upset."

"Well, I'm not." Riley retorted quickly, ending the conversation.

When Riley, Blush, and Smalls finally returned to the lodging house, all Riley wanted was to go upstairs and sleep. Unfortunately, a certain newsboy made it a bit difficult.

"Where's Spot!" Spike, Spot's second-in-command, asked once they walked through the front door. "I hope he knows about you being with the girl, Smalls, or he'll fucking murder you."

Riley hated being known as 'the girl' - almost as much as she hated being talked about like she wasn't even in the room.

Many of the Brooklyn newsboys were still awake, and all eyes were glued to the three figures standing in the front of the room. Spike raised his eyebrows at Smalls, wondering if he actually had the guts to go against Spot's orders. When Smalls rolled his eyes, Blush took the opportunity to silently back up before Spike grilled her with questions as well.

"I think this is a good time to go…" Blush said quietly, backing up to the doorway.

Riley shot her a look.

"I'll come see you tomorrow," Blush whispered. "I have a lot to talk to you about."

Riley curiously raised an eyebrow.

Blush reached the door. "There are some things you need to know."

And with that final statement, Blush slipped through the door and started her walk back home. Riley wanted to kill her for the sudden abandonment, and was tempted to run after her to find out what she was talking about. The only reason she turned away from the front door was when Riley actually heard Smalls talk; something he very rarely did.

"He stayed in Manhattan for a little while," He answered Spike as he moved to take a seat next to him. "He'll probably come back when he finishes up with the broad that was hanging all over him. He's getting some action from Kel, and I get stuck walking the rich girl home." The other newsboys smirked to themselves, knowing how lucky their leader was with the ladies.

Riley frowned at what Smalls said, and was surprised when a lump came to her throat, causing her eyes to water. It wasn't because of the 'rich girl' comment; it was because of what he said about Spot and Kel. Riley quickly swallowed down the lump in her throat and composed herself before anybody noticed.

She felt a dozen pair of eyes follow her across the room and to the staircase. She heard the rude sexual comments and catcalls as she walked up the stairs. She felt the drowsiness of the night weaken her whole body as she entered her room.

And right when Riley was about to go to sleep, she felt something else; something unfamiliar and unexpected. At the time, she couldn't explain the uncomfortable knot that sat in her stomach. She tossed and turned until the unknown feeling finally became clear to her.

Curled up on her cot, Riley Cardoni came to a sudden realization. The knot in her stomach was so strong it should have been obvious… She was _jealous_.

It took a long time for her to fall asleep after that.

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**Okay, well next chapter will have A LOT in it… Like I said, it's important, so I don't want to post an eventful chapter when I'm not happy with it. The next chapter will be dedicated to Outsider Wolf for all the kind words and inspiration. You're awesome and it won't take forever for that chapter to be posted, you'll see! Until then, I thank each and every one of you for your patience. The gears in my head are turning, so get ready for a whole bunch of story to read! Keep the reviews coming, they mean a lot!**


	20. Crossing Lines

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Newsies, but I own the others.**

**A/N – Spot**_** is **_**in this chapter, but not in the beginning.**

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Riley spent the next morning waiting in the common room. She was wearing one of her simple light blue dresses, and kept twirling her brown hair around her fingers as she stared out the window.

Blush, her new friend from Brooklyn, said the night before that she would be stopping by today. It felt good to have another girl to talk to, so Riley really hoped Blush would stick to her word and actually show up.

The lodging house was empty while the newsboys were off selling, leaving Riley's mind to wander. A small scowl came to her face as she thought of the previous night… Riley was in bed trying to sleep when Spot's distinctive footsteps were heard coming up to the third floor. She knew he was just coming home from Manhattan, and it made her angry to think about what he was doing there all night. He was with Kel, the Manhattan girl Riley had grown to hate; and hearing him come home so late only made her hate the girl even more.

Shaking her head from all thoughts of Spot, Riley took a sip from her tin cup full of water, and set it down on the table in front of her. The sound of the door opening caught her by surprise.

"Hey, I just finished selling!" Blush exclaimed, closing the front door behind her and walking over to the table Riley was at.

"I didn't think you'd risk showing up." Riley said with a laugh as Blush sat down across from her.

"Well, we don't have any of the assholes around to breathe down our necks so I don't think we have anything to worry about." Blush replied, propping her elbows on the table.

Riley nodded in agreement, but her curiosity couldn't take it any longer. She had to ask… "You said last night that you had to talk to me about something."

Blush smirked. "I do."

Riley raised an eyebrow, waiting for what Blush had to say. "So…?"

Looking around to check if they door was closed, Blush turned back to Riley. "Well… Remember what I told you last night? How everyone knows everything about Spot and his business?"

Riley nodded her head, leaning forward, curious to hear where she was going with this.

Blush picked at the wood of the table, trying to find the right words to say. "Well, you see, I been hearing some other stuff…"

"Like what?" Riley asked immediately.

"Like, some strange stuff…"

"Strange?"

"Well, unusual-like…"

"Just tell me!" Riley laughed, wondering what could possibly be so strange.

Blush finally looked up from the table. "Your room is right next to Spot's, right?"

"Yes, the storage room." Reffy answered, fighting to keep from rolling her eyes at the thought of her temporary bedroom.

"So you see Spot every night, right?" Blush questioned further, leaning her elbows on the table again.

"Right." Riley replied slowly, narrowing her eyes with suspicion.

"So does it bother you at all when he brings girls around?" Blush continued, waiting for a reaction.

Riley scoffed in disbelief. "That's awful – of course he doesn't bring girls around! I would kill him if I had to hear that!"

Blush raised a curious eyebrow. "None? Not one girl?" She asked, and let out a small laugh, shaking her head. "I can't believe it…" She said mostly to herself, deep in thought as she let out another chuckle.

Confused and running out of patience, Riley crossed her arms and cleared her throat.

Blush seemed to return from her own little world and looked Riley in the face. Tossing her hair over her shoulder, she leaned forward on the table once more and smiled knowingly. "You don't get it, do you?""

When Riley shook her head, Blush rolled her eyes and continued.

"Look, there's _always_ some girl up there with Spot when he turns in for the night. _Always_. And it's really weird that he hasn't had one up there… Especially since _you_ arrived."

Riley scrunched up her nose at the thought of Spot with a girl in his bedroom. "I'd be sick to my stomach if I had to hear him entertaining some girl while I'm trying to sleep at night."

"My point exactly!" Blush exclaimed, catching Riley off-guard. "He usually wouldn't give a damn whether you liked it or not."

Riley tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, avoiding Blush's stare. "I don't see what the big deal is," She replied nonchalantly. "It's just common decency."

"That's why it's strange," Blush replied with a shrug. "Conlon ain't the 'decent' type."

"I figured _that_ out the second we met, believe me." Riley said, resisting the urge to think about the first day she saw him…

"Can you tell me the story?" Blush asked conversationally, propping her foot up on another chair.

Those icy blue eyes disappeared from Riley's thoughts as she snapped into the present day. Looking thoroughly confused by the question, Riley narrowed her eyes in thought. "What story?"

"About what you saw exactly," Blush explained quietly, checking to see if they were still alone in the spacious bottom floor of the lodging house. "That night the boys caught you," Her voice lowered to a whisper just in case… "When you saw them soak that Harlem guy."

Riley bit her lip, avoiding eye contact once again by looking around the room. "I don't know," She started, shrugging her shoulders. "It was dark."

"You might feel better if you talk about it." Blush stated, finally catching Riley's eye.

Truth be told - that night was permanently etched into Riley's memory. If only she had left the Lounge a few minutes earlier, none of this would've happened. She knew Blush already heard the story, but maybe Riley_ did_ need to talk about it…

"It's real simple," She started, trying to get it over with. "I left work, heard something across the street, and hid in the shadows so whoever it was couldn't see me. I saw a bunch of boys kick and punch some guy until he stopped moving, so obviously I was going to hide, you know?" She paused to run her fingers through her hair and let out a sigh. "You see, I just moved in the day before, and Bonnie pointed Conlon out to me while we were unpacking."

"So you knew who he was?"

"I recognized him the second I saw his face." Riley answered. "So I tried to stay as quiet as I could, but I had no idea they could see me…"

"Spike was the one who pointed you out," Blush explained, answering Riley's unasked question. "He can see really good, no matter how dark it is."

Riley nodded at this information, resting her elbows on the table. "Well, I started running, but Conlon ordered them not to come after me. I thought I was fine, you know? Of course, that was until Spot showed up at the Lounge the next night…" She rolled her eyes. "He actually had people _following me_ to make sure I wouldn't go to the police -"

"I think Monty was the one who followed you home that night," Blush interrupted. "And three or four guys kept watch on you the next day." She ignored Riley's look of resentment and kept talking. "They thought you'd get all scared and rat out Spot and his gang… Seriously, the _last_ thing they need is another problem with the bulls around here…"

Riley squinted her eyes. "Bulls?"

"Cops."

"Right." She replied, scratching her forehead. "Anyway, long story short – Conlon got me fired at the Lounge, then got me kicked out of the apartment."

"So he offered you a place to stay," Blush finished for her.

"Only because he knew I was mad at him, and he didn't want me running to the _bulls_," Riley explained angrily, causing Blush to smile at her new vocabulary.

Riley looked around the empty lodging house and took a deep breath. She took a moment to stare at the sunlight streaming in through the windows, and felt relaxed for the first time in days.

"Now don't you feel better?" Blush asked, breaking the silence.

Riley looked at her and smirked. "Yeah, I do." She replied lightheartedly, straightening up again and smoothing out her dress.

Suddenly both girls heard voices from outside the lodging house, causing both of them to become more alert. Riley switched glances between Blush and the front door, silently praying Spot wasn't approaching anytime soon.

"Look, I've known Spot for a while, and there's one thing I gotta tell you…" Blush said, keeping her voice low as she stood up from her chair. "Living around here, with boys from Brooklyn, can be tough…" She stated, her usually glowing face now solemn. "…And you know what? I have a lotof respect for _any_ girl that could've possibly made it this far."

And for some reason, that was all Riley needed to hear.

Blush's words had finally put Riley's racing mind to rest. All of Riley's experiences in Brooklyn had opened her eyes to 'rules' she never knew existed. The 'rules' were simple; the rich and the poor lived in two _separate _worlds, and it was foolish to think a teenage girl could change all of that. But, despite the rules of society, _one_ thing was certain; respect was needed in order to survive in the world of the Newsies.

It brought a bright and genuine smile to Riley Cardoni's face… Because living with Spot Conlon, one of the most arrogant assholes in all of New York City, had its advantages. The difficulties Riley faced everyday had paid off; because now a newsgirl, with the scars and blood of Brooklyn, actually _respected_ her.

Blush gave Riley a friendly smile before turning to leave.

"Thank you, Blush." Riley said in a rush, hoping to catch her attention. When Blush stopped walking and turned back around, Riley stood up from her chair to look her in the eye. "Really. Thank you."

The sincere tone of Riley's voice was enough to put a twinkle in Blush's eye.

"Just speaking the truth," She answered, shoving her hands in her pockets. "Not a lot of girls around here could put up with Spot's attitude. They either stay away from him, or sleep with him."

Riley blinked, looking down at the table. Her previous emotions disappeared when a familiar knot came to her stomach. Jealousy was an unfamiliar feeling to her. Why would a girl like Riley Cardoni be _jealous_ of the girls being used every night by some egotistical leader like Spot Conlon?

Luckily, Blush didn't notice it. "Well, I should probably get going… I don't want to see Spot's reaction if he finds out I've been friendly with you or anything." She said with a roll of her eyes, shaking her head as she headed to the door.

"I know – God forbid I'm_ friends_ with someone." Riley said sarcastically, causing both of them to laugh at how pathetic it sounded.

Blush continued to giggle as she opened the door and stepped out into the sunlight. Riley grabbed her cup of water and followed her to the door, shielding her eyes from the brightness.

The sun was high in the sky. Some of the newsboys were jumping off the dock across the street, and more were scattered around the dirty pier in groups. A majority of them were finally done selling, and it was now the time of day where the last paper of the morning edition was sold.

"It's still a while 'till the afternoon edition is out," Blush said, her eyes scanning the distance. "So I think I'm gonna head home and rest for a little bit."

Riley leaned against the doorframe and searched the familiar faces across the street. Spot wasn't among them; although she'd never admit that she was actually looking for him or anything…

The truth was, Spot seemed to be the only newsboy Riley felt safe around. Sure, he was a jerk, and he was constantly trying to make her feel miserable… But Riley always felt nervous whenever he _wasn't_ around her. Spot was a pain in the ass, but he _did_ know how to keep his boys in line. The other Brooklyn boys made her uncomfortable, and she barely knew any of them. What if they disobeyed Spot's order and tried something? She was in _Brooklyn_, after all! The borough still made Riley nervous, and these boys still had a reputation. Little Spin, the younger newsie she befriended, certainly wouldn't be able to protect her…

"I'll see you later, Riley." Blush said, giving her a wave before setting off down the street.

Riley nervously licked her bottom lip, looking around while she stood at the door. Some of the boys from the dock looked over at the lodging house, causing her grip to tighten on the tin cup in her hand. Riley knew this wasn't a good idea. Usually she was up in her room, completely out of site and staying clear of trouble while the Newsies waited for the afternoon edition… Her intuition immediately kicked in.

"Wait!" Riley blurted out to Blush, causing the Brooklyn girl to stop in her tracks. Riley bit her lip, glancing around the street before stepping out of the lodging house.

"Yeah…?" Blush asked laughingly, waiting for what Riley had to say.

"Do you… Do you _really_ have to go? Right this second?"

Blush knitted her eyebrows together at the distressed look on Riley's face. "Uh, well… No, not right this second…" She trailed off suspiciously, wondering what the problem was.

Riley began wringing her hands together, taking another uneasy look around the street. She stumbled over the right words to say, eyeing the tough teenage boys scattered around them. "Look, it's… It's kind of a lot to ask, and you don't have to or anything, but…" She finally stopped staring at the other boys, looking straight at Blush with pleading eyes as the question quietly escaped from her lips. "Do you think you could stay here for a little while longer? Just until the boys are gone, or until Conlon gets back?"

Puzzled by the request, Blush took a moment to think and shrugged one of her shoulders. "Yeah, I could stay, it's no problem."

Relief rushed through Riley's body. "Really? You don't mind? I _know_ it sounds stupid…"

"Nah, it's no big deal." Blush reassured her with a smile. Then the reassuring smile turned into a taunting smile, and a knowing look crossed her face. "Let me guess – the fella's make you nervous, don't they?"

Keeping her mouth shut, Riley glared at her but did not say a word. Biting back a retort, she resisted the urge to defend herself against the taunting look on Blush's face. It was hard to keep from arguing with someone who was teasing her, but she had to remember where she was. Once again, Riley was not in Staten Island; this was Brooklyn, and Riley was finally beginning to learn her place around here - so why test it now?

Fortunately, Blush only laughed at Riley's glare as they stepped back into the lodging house. "So I guess I'm right then…?"

Riley gave her a look of disbelief. How could Blush be so calm about it? Could she really be_ that_ insane? Any girl in her right mind would be scared to be around these guys by herself!

Making sure they were still alone, Riley kept her voice low. "Of course I get nervous!" She exclaimed, her voice raspy in her attempt not to yell. "I'm not used to living with boys like them-" she suddenly cut off mid-sentence and corrected herself. "_Actually_, I'm not used to living with boys _period_. And _who knows_ how they'll act without Conlon here to boss them around like toddlers! I'm usually up in my room right now – out of sight, out of mind. What if they came in here and tried to go upstairs!"

Blush laughed loudly, causing Riley to stop and catch her breath. "It's a'right, I get it. Relax, will ya? Jesus, you talk fast." Blush said with amusement laced in her every word.

Riley chose not to reply, and took a seat on the tattered couch by the front window. She placed her drink on the rickety table placed beside her and sighed.

"I know how to handle those apes - I got your back, don't you worry about it." Blush said with a wink, plopping down on the couch.

Making herself as comfortable as possible, Riley tilted her head back on the couch and ran her fingers through her hair. Blush had a point - it definitely felt better to be in the company of a Brooklyn girl who knew what she was doing.

"So tell me about where you came from."

The question was so unexpected that Riley almost ripped the hair out of her head by accident. She couldn't help but wonder why everyone wanted to know what her life was like in Staten Island.

Blush glanced sideways at Riley's profile, eagerly waiting for her response. Despite Riley's earlier attempts to bite her tongue and remain nice, she returned the look and angrily rolled her eyes.

"You are all the same," Riley started with a hint of annoyance, shaking her head. Her eyes were fixed on the closed kitchen door located across the room, but her voice remained steady with bitterness. "You all think I lived in some fairytale with a perfect childhood and a perfect life with a perfect future ahead of me…"

She was suddenly cut off. "Aw, come off it, Riley!" Blush interjected, showing no pity what-so-ever, letting her frustration get the best of her. "Everyone can tell your life has been perfect by just _looking_ at you! Honestly, you live in a lodging house and you _still_ look rich!"

Riley laughed in disbelief. "Oh yes, of course, you're right." She answered, her voice proper and dripping with sarcasm. "My way of life is nothing but happiness. Nothing to worry about, no problems, no pressure…!"

Suddenly, the sound of the front door opening caused both girls to jump. Riley's pulse was racing because of Blush's biting words, but her heartbeat almost stopped when Spike, Spot's second-in-command, walked through the door.

"Shit," Blush cursed under her breath, knowing what was going to come next…

Spike's eyes flickered to the tattered couch by the window, narrowing his eyes at the two people sitting on it. Clenching his teeth together, he checked to see if the lodging house was empty before slamming the door shut and taking a few steps over to them.

"What the _hell_ are you doing?" Spike demanded, glaring at Blush. "What do you think this is – a fucking tea party? What the hell are you doing here, Blush?"

Guilt filled Riley's body, causing her throat to dry. The last thing Riley wanted was another reason for Spot to get mad, but now she had to deal with the guilt of getting Blush in trouble as well. This was getting ridiculous – they weren't doing anything wrong! Riley wanted to punch Spot, or scream, or throw something. She opened her mouth to say something, but the look on Spike's face caused her to change her mind.

Blush, on the other hand, didn't hesitate with her answer. "It's called 'talking', Spike!" She yelled, her loud voice shattering the silence of the empty room. "You didn't need to barge in and scare us half to death by slamming the door and acting like I murdered someone!"

It looked as though Blush just realized what she had said, and quickly silenced herself. Spike, after all, was Spot's second-in-command.

Spike glanced out the window before lowering his voice, now staring directly into Blush's blue-green eyes. "You gotta grow some damn brains, girly. Spot don't want none of us talking to the girl, so what are you trying to pull, huh?"

"No, actually, _I'm_ not one of the boys in the lodging house, so I don't have to follow that rule. _They_ have to stay away from her – not me. And it's a stupid order, anyway. It's just Spot's way of being an asshole, AGAIN."

Riley's eyes were wide with disbelief. A part of her wanted to slap Blush for talking down to someone like Spike; but the other part of her wanted to be the one who was yelling at him. The guy wasn't even courteous enough to acknowledge Riley's presence! He acted as if Riley wasn't even in the room, and wouldn't look at her.

But then something happened that made Riley more confused than ever before. Blush's rants about Spot didn't upset him; instead, it brought a half-smile to his lips. His eyes remained green and hidden of all emotion, but Riley could've sworn she saw something else… He looked at Blush like he expected this type of reaction from her, and the smile slowly reached to his eyes as he took off his hat.

"Why do you always gotta do that, huh?" He asked, finally looking away from her to look out the window at the newsboys on the dock across the street.

"Why do you always gotta be a big shot and yell at me!" Blush replied.

Riley was now thoroughly confused. This wasn't the Spike she was used to seeing around the lodging house… The badass sidekick who stuck behind Spot whenever he was needed… No, this was a completely different person.

"And stop acting like a scumbag, will ya!" Blush said, catching his attention before turning to face Riley. "Sorry about him – I hate how close he is to Spot because it makes him forget his manners." She said, shooting him a look before turning back to Riley again. "He's my brother, ya know."

"Brother!" Riley almost gasped out, looking between the two. She would've never guessed they were related. Spike was the bully always looking for a fight, and Blush was the peacemaker who accepted Riley's friendship with open arms.

"Yes, my brother." Blush repeated, almost grudgingly. "Now, what were we talking about before he started to yell at me…?"

Spike shook his head as he made his way closer to the couch. "Nope. No way. No fucking way. Not happening, Blush."

Blush rolled her eyes. "What are you going on about now?"

"Spot let you two walk back to Brooklyn together, but he sure as hell don't want you getting close to her." Spike scolded, pausing to give Riley a look of dislike before lowering his voice to continue lecturing his sister. "She's not your friend, Blush. She's nothing but a high class rich girl that knows too much, and Spot wants to personally handle her himself."

After saying this, Spike glanced at Riley with sick amusement, probably picturing what Spot actually had in mind. Riley rolled her eyes, knowing that opening her mouth at a time like this would get her into trouble.

"She ain't property," Blush said angrily, looking up at him from her place on the couch. "And if she was gonna go to the bulls to rat you out then she would've done it already! Riley was at the wrong place at the wrong time – _who cares_!"

"Fine," Spike answered fiercely, shoving his hat back onto his head. "If you won't listen to me, then maybe you'll listen to Conlon when he finds out you're breaking his damn rules. Believe me, kid, this dame ain't your friend." He motioned to Riley with his thumb and gave her a dangerous glare. "She'll be nothing but trouble, and I'd stay away from her if I were you."

Riley returned the glare with a taunting look of her own, trying to ignore his harsh words of warning. She raised one of her eyebrows daringly, proving how much trouble she could actually be if he wanted to see it. Eyeing her up and down, he gave her a mocking smirk and walked back to the door. Riley knew that he was still imagining things Spot could do to her.

"I don't care what you say - she didn't do anything wrong," Blush said calmly, unaffected by his words as she pulled at a string from the fabric of the couch. "The poor thing has no one to talk to, and I'm not gonna just sit around while everyone else treats her like shit."

She looked up to meet his eyes as he stood by the door. "Spot ain't gonna like this." Spike said. "And it's gonna be _my _ass in trouble when he finds out."

"I'll deal with Spot, a'right?" Blush reassured him, her tone of voice making it final. "You worry too much."

Spike looked conflicted for a moment, crossing his strong arms across his chest. He looked between the two girls, and knew by the look on Blush's face that she wasn't going to budge.

"Don't bring her out of the lodging house." Spike ordered, his voice deep with warning.

"I won't." Blush smiled sweetly. "Thanks, Spike. See you in line for the next edition!"

Spike put his hand to his forehead and walked out the door, muttering to himself.

It was silent for a moment, and Riley realized it was her turn to say something. "I had no idea he was…"

"Didn't think you would," Blush replied with a shrug. "The only thing good about having your brother as Spot's right-hand man is that _I'm_ the only one who can break him. He's strict as hell with everyone else."

Despite Blush's reassuring words, Riley still felt uneasy. "You can leave, Blush. Really. I don't want you to get in trouble."

"What's so bad about having a conversation?" Blush asked.

More newsies filed into the lodging house to escape from the hot sun, finding it strange to see Riley actually socializing with one of the newsies. It actually made Riley giggle, seeing the looks on their faces and knowing how scared Spot could make his boys. With every newsie that walked through the door, it seemed less and less likely that Spot would show up. Maybe it was because Riley didn't care, because she actually had a friend, and it felt good to not be scared for once.

The afternoon edition came out, leaving Riley bored and alone at the lodging house while the others worked. Her thoughts revolved around Bonnie, and whether or not Jack would show up soon with word on her decision. Riley hated to think about spending another night in that storage room, so she was getting desperate for Bonnie's forgiveness. Thank God she now had Blush around to keep her sane, or else who knows what Riley would do.

The glow of the sunset came through the windows of the large common room, signaling that it was time to light the single lantern that lit the room she slept in upstairs. Riley could already hear the voices of the returning newsboys entering the lodging house as light from the lantern filled the storage room. Despite being on the third floor, it was easy to hear how loud boys from Brooklyn could be.

Before going back downstairs, Riley quickly checked herself in the mirror. She flung her long hair over her shoulder and smoothed out her dress, not bothering much with her appearance. Riley was too hungry to care, but she didn't have much money to spend on food. The money her parents sent to her must've arrived already, but she couldn't pick it up from the apartment yet. Fortunately, Blush offered to bring a loaf of bread over so they could split it for dinner.

Just like Riley predicted, Blush was waiting for her in the busy common room downstairs. They sat back down on the tattered couch by the window and ate their bread, finding more and more to talk about. The smoky room was crowded and loud, full of Brooklyn boys drinking and playing card games after a long day of work, but the girls barely noticed. Riley's stomach was satisfied with her small dinner, and Blush's stories had her giggling.

The windows were open as the warm night air swept into the dimly lit room, trying to rid of the smoke that clouded around them from the lit cigarettes and cigars. The breeze was calm and refreshing on Riley's face. Her worries seemed small and unimportant as she chatted away with Blush, learning that two girls with completely different lives could actually have a lot in common. Riley actually felt at ease with what was going on around her…

Then the front door of the lodging house flew open.

Blush was in the middle of telling Riley about her last date with Kid Blink when the room silenced. It took a second for Riley to realize something was wrong, because the Brooklyn boys were a rowdy crowd that rarely kept quiet for long. An uncomfortable chill went down her spine. Her body suddenly tensed, leaving her frozen as her eyes studied a spot on the couch. She felt a familiar set of eyes burning into her, but didn't have to look up to see who they belonged to.

Breaking off in mid-sentence, Blush noticed the change in Riley's face and turned to look at who just walked through the front door. Riley was almost too scared to look at him, but forced herself to follow Blush's gaze.

Spot was gripping his gold-tipped cane so tightly that his knuckles were white, but the weapon remained in his belt loop. He stood at the open doorway, staring at Riley like she was the only person in the room. She could see, even from a short distance, that his eyes had turned grey. He looked down on her like a king with a need to control, but Riley wouldn't let him have it. She refused to give him the pleasure of shamefully looking away, so her brown eyes kept level with his.

Riley faintly heard Blush swear under her breath. The one thing that brought fear to the newsies of Brooklyn was the wrath of their leader, and Blush was right in the middle of it. Spot was looking at Riley, but it didn't take a genius to figure out that Blush was doing something that rubbed him the wrong way.

Riley, on the other hand, couldn't think of what she was doing wrong. The only thing on her mind was the pounding of her heartbeat as she tried keeping her breathing steady. Rage from the previous night caused her cheeks to burn as she pictured Spot kissing that stupid girl from Manhattan. What if Riley spent the night kissing Skittery? Maybe Spot would feel the same jealous knot in his stomach that Riley kept feeling in hers.

All of the thoughts that ran through Riley's head made it feel like time had slowed down. In reality, only a few seconds had gone by since Spot had stepped foot into the lodging house. With a look of annoyance on his face, Spike walked over to Spot and whispered something in his ear. Spot replied by stiffly shaking his head, keeping watch on Riley as Spike continued to talk to him in a voice so low that no one else could hear.

A whisper from one of the newsboys in the crowded room suddenly caught Riley's attention. She ripped her gaze from Spot and set her eyes on two members of Spot's gang. They were sitting at a table in the middle of the crowd, looking at Riley as they talked back and forth in whispers. The second she looked their way, both boys looked away; glancing at Spot to make sure he didn't see them staring at her.

It felt like Riley's stomach dropped to the floor. She suddenly realized why Spot seemed so angry. It all made sense now… A memory from earlier that day flashed through her mind…

"_Spot let you two walk back to Brooklyn together, but he sure as hell don't want you getting close to her." Spike scolded, pausing to give Riley a look of dislike before lowering his voice to continue lecturing his sister. "She's not your friend, Blush. She's nothing but a high class rich girl that knows too much, and Spot wants to personally handle her himself."_

"_She ain't property," Blush said angrily, looking up at him from her place on the couch. "And if she was gonna go to the bulls to rat you out then she would've done it already! Riley was at the wrong place at the wrong time – who cares!"_

"_Fine," Spike answered fiercely, shoving his hat back onto his head. "If you won't listen to me, then maybe you'll listen to Conlon when he finds out you're breaking his damn rules. Believe me, kid, this dame ain't your friend." He motioned to Riley with his thumb and gave her a dangerous glare. "She'll be nothing but trouble, and I'd stay away from her if I were you."_

Riley looked over at Spike and Spot. Spike was trying to explain himself, but Spot wasn't saying a single word. Spike was probably trying to take the blame off his sister; saying he tried to make Blush leave, but that Riley convinced her not to.

Spot put up his hand, signaling for Spike to stop talking. Riley caught Spike's eye only for a moment before he quickly looked away, scanning the newsies in the room to make sure they kept silent. His eyes seemed empty, but the angry frown on his lips was a bad sign.

Before Riley could even look at Blush to see her reaction, Spot reached out to the door and opened it wider. "Go home, Blush." He ordered with a voice so low it was practically a growl.

This time, Blush stood up immediately, not daring to even look at Riley as she left. In that split second, Riley realized she was now alone and couldn't count on a Brooklyn girl to protect her all the time. She glared at the Brooklyn leader with every ounce of hurt and anger inside of her. One simple order from Spot Conlon and Riley's world was lonely again.

Spot shut the door behind Blush and took a deep breath, as if he was trying to control his temper. Riley noticed he was still gripping into his cane, but kept glaring at her. She felt guilty for getting Blush in trouble, and couldn't understand why Spot didn't want anyone to speak to her.

Removing his hand from the doorknob, Spot turned back to his second-in-command. He jerked his head to the side, beckoning Spike to follow him.

"Seriously, I tried telling her before, but she just_ wouldn't_ leave." Spike explained, talking about Blush as he followed Spot away from the door. "You know how she is-"

"Stubborn as hell; yeah, I know." Spot answered for him, stopping in his tracks so he could face his newsies. Riley went to go upstairs, but the serious tone of Spot's voice meant that she should probably stay put.

Leaning forward on the couch, Riley rested her elbows on her knees as she looked over to where Spot was standing. The look in Spot's eye was enough to take anyone's breath away, and Riley was thankful his glare wasn't directed at her anymore. Instead, he was looking around at his newsboys.

"Anyone remember what I said about talking to her?" He asked the group of large boys scattered throughout the room. They all glanced at each other, none of them understanding why _they_ were being questioned about something Blush did.

One of the larger Newsies suddenly spoke up. "But, Spot, we didn't talk to -"

"_What_ did I say about talking to her?" Spot interrupted harshly. "Answer the fucking question." He spat, letting his murderous gaze linger on the larger newsie who made the mistake of speaking up.

No one else spoke as Spot's stormy eyes darted from one face to another, before he finally loosened his grip on the gold cane attached to his belt loop.

"Next time I make an order, make sure you follow it, or it'll be the last God damn thing you ever do, understand?" He waited for his gang of newsboys to acknowledge him before saying anything else. Some newsboys stiffly tilted their heads down to show they understood, while others nodded their heads more vigorously. Those who dared to look him in the eye quickly looked down again, trying to melt in with the crowd.

Spot continued to pace in front of his newsboys, but decided to pull out his precious cane from the belt loop it rested in. His eyes remained fixed on his infamous symbol of leadership, savoring in the power he had with one single weapon. He gripped the end with one of his fists, choosing his next words carefully. "Well, fellas, it seems like we have a little problem…" He began casually, letting his fingers run over the smooth golden tip as he spoke. "It looks to me like you _don't_ understand the order I gave to you…"

Every boy in the room, no matter how tough or strong, kept their heads down to avoid Spot's stare. Riley sat up straight as he paced closer to the couch, wishing she could just cover her face and disappear.

"You see, if you_ did_ understand my order, then I wouldn't have walked in here tonight to see one of my girl newsies breaking one of my rules, now _would_ I?"

His eyes had left his cane to glare at the boys around the room. He was still pacing back and forth, and the newsboys were still avoiding his gaze as best they could. Spot's relaxed tone of voice wasn't fooling anybody, and the tension of the room was still thick with worry of what Spot would do next.

The Brooklyn leader stopped his pacing and slid the cane back through his belt loop. "I usually don't give warnings, but I'll let this one slide." He said calmly, although his eyes remained hard as stone. "Consider this your lucky night."

Spike stood behind Spot with his arms crossed, looking around the crowded room. He held no hint of emotion about his sister getting in trouble with Spot, but living in a borough like this can teach you not to show emotions at all.

Riley let out a silent sigh of relief. She didn't want to see Spot hurting anybody; especially when it was all because of her. The whole thing infuriated her. Since when did she become some rag doll that could be dragged around and controlled by some cold, heartless street boy who had too much power for his own good? And since when did Riley just sit back, too afraid to yell at him to stop? As much as she wanted the courage to say something – nothing came out of her mouth.

Suddenly, much to Riley's dismay, Spot's voice filled the common room once again.

"And one more thing," Spot added, making sure all eyes were still on him as he took a few steps forward. "I want you to take a look at Whip over here," Everyone turned to look at the table Whip was sitting at, and Riley practically choked on her sudden intake of breath.

Whip stared stiffly down at the wood of the table, trying to remain unaffected by the sound of Spot's shoes walking up behind him. Spot put a strong hand on Whip's shoulder, causing the newsboy to hold back a wince. Riley could almost picture the bruise that would form as a result of Spot's grip, but she still couldn't find the nerve to say anything to stop it. Poor Whip was the newsboy that had spoken to Riley once before, and he suffered the consequences.

The Brooklyn leader took a second to study Whip's beaten, black and blue face. His grip tightened. "If _any_ of you talk to her, and decide not to take my orders seriously," Spot's threat was low, but his husky voice echoed in the eerie quiet, "Then you'll be begging for the soakin' Whip got, because it'll look like heaven compared to what will happen to you."

The swirl of gray and green in his eyes scanned the room once more; looking as though he was daring for someone to step out of line. Finally, after what felt like forever, he released his grip from Whip's shoulder and turned to face Riley.

Most people in Riley's situation would have stuck up for themselves the second Spot kicked Blush out of the lodging house… But what people don't realize is that fear can be a powerful thing; so powerful that it can stop you from doing the things you want to do. You can't speak, you can't move… You can't do anything but watch, no matter how much you ache to get up and do something about it.

That's how Riley Cardoni felt as she sat on the tattered couch by the window. The Brooklyn leader was shouting out orders about her, but her anger was never shown. Why was she so scared of him? Why couldn't she do anything about it!

That's when she saw Spot grip Whip's shoulder. Someone had finally built up the courage to talk to her, and he got punished for it. Usually Riley would avoid looking at the bruises on Whip's face, but now she was forced to look. His pain and embarrassment was all _her_ fault.

Riley looked into Spot's eyes as he turned to face her. There was no emotion in his face. The only thing Riley saw was anger, and disappointment. Throughout Spot's whole lecture to his newsboys, she dreaded the moment he would turn to confront her. Now that the moment had arrived, she fought her hardest to remain focused. It was always hard to focus when he looked at her.

"Get upstairs, Cardoni." Spot ordered, motioning to the staircase with a wave of his hand.

Did he really think, after the threats he just mad, that she would do what he said!

Spot took a closer look at her, not liking the feeling of being ignored. His narrowed eyes darkened as he let his voice drop deeper with every word. "I said go upstairs," He demanded for a second time. He gritted his teeth. "Don't test me tonight, dollYou'll regret it."

His threat had finally pushed Riley to her limit. She sprung to her feet, unable to control the anger that had been building up inside of her. All the newsboys in the room might let themselves be ordered around, but she would not let him do the same to her. She was not one of his _newsies_ - she was Riley Cardoni, and no street boy could get away with speaking to her like she was holding a pile of dirty newspapers, shouting at the top of her lungs. Her pride had finally gotten the best of her.

Riley didn't even have time to think about the consequences before she opened her mouth.

"No."

One simple word was all it took for Spot to get so angry that he clenched his fists together. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me! I'm so sick of you bossing me around!" She shouted, grabbing her tin cup full of water from the table and throwing it to the ground.

The sound of the tin clattering, and water splashing over the beaten up floor boards was almost deafening in the silence; but Spot's menacing eyes never left Riley's face.

Riley's anger was boiling over, and she didn't even give Spot time to reply before letting more words spill from her mouth, not even thinking about what she was saying.

"I've got some news for you, Conlon! I'm_ not _a newsie, and you're _not_ my leader, so stop it!" Riley's breathing was fast as she blurted out the words, and her throat burned from how loud they actually came out. The Brooklyn newsies stared at her in shock. The outburst was enough to keep them silent, waiting for Spot's reaction.

Riley should've known to keep her mouth shut, but the damage was already done. The look on his face was livid. Before she could make a quick escape, Spot stepped forward and grabbed her arm, pulling her across the room. It was all a blur as he picked up a lantern and opened the door to the kitchen, practically throwing her inside.

The 'kitchen' was a small room that connected to the large common room on the bottom floor. There were dusty cupboards, shelves tangled with cobwebs, and a few chairs thrown around a small wooden table in the corner.

She would've scrunched up her nose at the dusty state of the room, but a loud crash caused her to practically jump out of her skin. Spot had slammed the lantern on the counter beside them, and stared furiously down at Riley.

Her mouth suddenly went dry. Her back was pressed against the door behind her. He towered over her, and there was nothing she could do about it. Her knees almost went weak… Riley was certain that she had crossed the line, and it looked like Spot wasn't going to give hera warning like he did the other boys…

* * *

**That's a pretty long chapter, don't you think? It definitely is when compared to the last one! This is dedicated to Outsider Wolf, someone who always seems to give me motivation. I also want to thank all the reviewers who are sticking to my story! It means a lot! Even when the plot is slow, or I think I did a really crappy job, you guys are there to cheer me up. So thanks again, and I hope you keep reading and reviewing! Things might seem a bit complicated at the moment, but everything will start changing very soon. Thanks for reading!**


	21. Lessons

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Newsies, but I own the others.**

**Wow, I haven't updated this story in a very long time. I apologize to all of my readers for the way I abandoned this story! I never thought I'd have the inspiration to keep up with writing ontop of everything else in my life. However, I checked my e-mail and saw all the reviews that kept coming in, and it really touched me. Thank you so much for the support! The reviews got me inspired to start writing again. **

**I highly recommend reading the previous chapter to catch up with what's going on in this chapter!**

Something in Riley's stomach told her that she wouldn't have enough strength to handle Spot Conlon this time. Arguing with him took so much energy out of her. She immediately regretted starting this fight.

The kitchen was dark compared to the well lit common room. The dim glow from the lantern that Spot slammed on the table lit his face as he took a quick step forward.

Spot bit his bottom lip as he studied her. His eyes were reckless and wild with anger. It looked like he was trying to control himself from gripping her shoulders and shaking her. The violent history that defined Spot Conlon was evident to her in that moment... She started wondering if he'd really hurt her.

The silence was killing her. Riley's eyes were wide as she breathlessly tried, in some way, to redeem herself...

"I'm not normally like this," she blurted out before he could speak. Her heart was beating furiously and she sounded out of breath.

Spot ignored her. "Do you have any idea what happens to people who disrespect me?" His voice was deep and gravelly, finally breaking his silence.

The boys on the other side of the thin wooden door weren't making their usual noise. Riley was quiet as a shiver went down her spine. His stare was like ice.

"You've put me in a dangerous situation, girly." He explained menacingly, stepping forward and propping one of his hands on the wall behind her. The muscles in his arm were tensed. "You should consider yourself the luckiest girl in all of damn New York after all I've let you get away with..."

"Your 'dangerous situation' isn't my fault -" Riley began, but stopped abruptly when he lifted his hand to silence her.

"I can't change what you saw in that alley," Spot continued, lowering his voice harshly. "But I could've _easily_ gotten rid of you that night, dollface. A snap of my finger and you would've been nothing but a good headline in the papers the next morning."

"But you didn't get rid of me." She said quietly.

"No." Spot replied, studying her face as if he was trying to figure out why he didn't. The look made her feel miserable, but she remained composed.

Riley took a deep breath. "You ruined everything for me," she replied with the little courage she had left. "You have_ no_ right to treat me like some hostage here. Bonnie made me promise to stay away from you, and now I know why." She spoke the last part mostly to herself.

"Your friend got jealous because she thought you caught my attention." Spot explained impatiently, his stormy eyes criticizing. "Want the truth? You were just a risk, and I needed to make sure you kept your pretty little mouth shut about what you saw. I'm letting you stay here, but you aren't worth my hospitality if you're gonna break all the rules I've made in this borough."

Spot smirked smugly at his definition of _hospitality_. Riley tried to ignore the sharp pain she felt in her chest as he confessed how he felt about her. She knew the smart thing to do would be to keep her mouth shut and her eyes dry. Her pride, however, was too big to tolerate his ego.

Spot Conlon was a god in Brooklyn, but he was toying with her, and she was sick of playing around.

"I didn't want any _attention_ from you, Spot." She lied, praying that her cheeks weren't too red. "You ruined my friendship with Bonnie. I never even wanted to _meet you_." She stood up a bit straighter, staring up at the man who had turned her world upside down. "And trust me, Conlon; I wouldn't be here unless I had nowhere else to go."

"Mommy and Daddy could take care of you, sweetheart, why not run home?" Spot taunted her with a teasing glint in his eye. He knew that Riley refused to go home and give up her new freedom in Brooklyn. "Go to Staten Island if you can't handle it in my territory." He continued, lifting his free hand to her neck. He ran his finger down her collarbone, along the fabric of her dress. "Your folks can buy you more silk dresses and dainty little hats," his voice was smooth in the silence.

"I have enough of those, thanks," Riley replied shortly, trying to ignore the way his touch felt.

"Then you can marry some hideous weakling with lots of money. And he can buy you whatever your little heart desires…" He leaned down, his lips brushing her ear as he whispered, "_But it won't change the fact that you'll cringe every time he touches you._"

Riley jerked her head to the side, away from his lips. His whisper in her ear caused intense chills to roll down her spine. "Listen, asshole, you have no idea what you're talking about."

Spot let out a quiet snort of laughter and rolled his eyes. He began tracing her cheekbone with his finger and brushing her hair behind her ear. "How many times do I gotta tell you? Girls shouldn't swear - It's unattractive."

Riley always fumed whenever he said that.

"You know what's unattractive?" She responded, trying to hide any shakiness in her voice. "The ugly 'broads' you let hang all over you all the time. _That_ is unattractive."

Spot tensed his jaw; his hand dropped back down to his side, his other hand still propped against the wall behind her head. His anger was taking control again. "You're on thin ice, Cardoni. Thin fucking ice -"

"No, I'm just being honest. I only act this way because you treat me like a prisoner!" Riley interrupted, forgetting about the Brooklyn newsboys in the other room. "You entertain yourself by finding ways to keep me miserable! You won't let your boys talk to me, and now Blush can't even talk to me?! I've never dealt with anyone like you in my life! You love that people are _scared_ of you! You beat up your newsies - !"

Spot interrupted her abruptly by pounding his fist against the wall behind her. "And _you're_ not scared of me?!" He yelled as Riley jumped in surprise. The force of his punch splintered the old rotting wood of the wall. "People follow _my_ rules, they do what I say. _You_ are gonna do what I say, as long as you're in Brooklyn, you are mine." Now both of his hands were placed on the wall on either side of her head, imprisoning her. His fierce glare was just inches from her face...

"Without me the street kids in this borough would be out of control. I earned respect and I'm gonna get it - even from you, doll. Don't make me show you how much power I really got." His demands were enough to leave her speechless.

Riley opened her mouth, and then closed it again. She wanted to explain herself, stick up for herself, but she had no idea how to respond. Before Riley could part her lips again to speak, Spot moved so that only one arm was propped up on the wall; his free hand moved to her face. He put his index finger firmly on her lips, refusing to let her interrupt.

"Never, and I mean _**never**_,talk to me like that in front of my boys again," he spoke with authority. His index finger remained on her lips, while his thumb traced under her chin and across her throat. "I'm infamous for teaching people lessons," he threatened, "don't learn that the hard way."

Riley faltered under his stare. His hand was calloused and rough, but somehow Riley found her skin tingling. She nodded under his touch, submitting to the King of Brooklyn for once.

He seemed satisfied. His finger brushed down her bottom lip to her chin. Her head was spinning. Spot had a triumphant glint to his eye.

Then there was a small scuffle at the door to the kitchen.

Suddenly the dimly lit room was illuminated as light poured in from the open door. Spot turned, furiously, to confront the fool who dared to interfere in his business.

The person who opened the door was Spin, Riley's only friend out of all the Brooklyn boys under Spot's command. Spin was also the only Brooklyn boy allowed to talk to her – he was only 9 years old.

Spin seemed to be struggling with someone. Riley recognized Spot's second-in-command, Spike, trying to drag the small boy away from the door.

"Sorry, boss. He crawled under my legs, the little shit." Spike explained, although sounding pretty impressed.

"Are you okay?" Spin asked immediately. "There was a huge bang that we heard a minute ago, what happened? Did you hit something??" He was breathless, talking a mile a minute. His eyes were flicking between Spot and Riley. The whole lodging house definitely heard the sound of Spot's fist pounding the wall a minute ago.

Spot relaxed his shoulders, but studied the small boy standing in the doorway. "You got a problem, Spin?" He asked.

Spike released his grip from Spin and took a step back. Spin seemed nervous but stood his ground. "I'm sorry, Spot, I didn't mean to make you mad, you know? I just heard the bang, and they wouldn't let me in, and I just…"

Surprisingly, Spot took a step forward and messed up Spin's hair. "You got guts, kid, I gotta admit. But nobody is hurt. Riley, you hurt?" Spot asked, glancing back at Riley. His eyes sparkled. Riley still had her back to the wall, but couldn't hide her relief that Spin wasn't in trouble.

"I'm fine," Riley answered, returning Spot's fierce look. Then she turned to look at Spin. "I'm fine, Spin.

Thank you for checking on me." She tried giving him a big smile, taking a step away from the wall and toward the door.

"I'll make him get to bed, boss, sorry-" Spike put his hand on Spin's shoulder as they backed out of the room.

"I'm done here anyway," Spot answered him, tilting his head down to look at Riley while he spoke. "Riley here was just going to bed, too, weren't you?"

Riley glanced at Spike, then back up at Spot. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Yes," She answered grudgingly. "So excuse me."

Spot moved out of the way, gesturing to the door like a gentleman. She walked out of the kitchen, winked a desperate 'thank you' to Spin, and walked as quickly as she could to the stairs. The common room was still filled with newsboys, all of them staring at her every move.

Riley climbed the stairs and entered the small, dirty, and depressing storage closet that Spot had given her as a "room." She sat on her bed and roughly wiped away an angry tear that was sliding down her cheek.

Fine. Spot Conlon wanted Riley to treat him like some a king. Fine. She'll keep her mouth shut, just like he wanted. She won't ever speak to him again. There were plenty of decent men in New York, and there was bound to be somebody in Brooklyn who wasn't scared of Spot Conlon.

**I'm a bit rusty with this – it's been a while. Please review, I really need the feedback! Thank you!**


	22. Tweed Coat

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Newsies, but I own the others.**

Riley sat amid the dirty fishing nets, perched on a crate that was sitting on the docks. It was dusk; the sun was set, the sky a beautiful deep blue as it darkened. The stars were starting to peak out of hiding, and Riley Cardoni watched as the sky over the water slowly turned into night.

She didn't feel threatened by her dark surroundings; in fact, she wasn't even alone on the docks. Some of the familiar faces of the Brooklyn newsboys were there with her.

Riley suppressed a sarcastic snort of laughter. The newsboys were scattered around the dock, but they certainly weren't "with" her. Of course they weren't. Spot Conlon, their leader, wouldn't have allowed that. Riley stole a look further down the dock at the Brooklyn leader she was thinking about. He was sitting on another crate, not on his usually perch that was high atop the other structures on the pier.

He was surrounded by a few other intimidating boys that Riley also saw regularly around the Lodging House. The cool breeze coming off the water had him wearing a worn, gray tweed coat. Due to the usually warm weather, Riley had never seen him wearing that jacket before. A cigarette dangled lazily from his lips. They were all laughing at some joke or comment that was made. Spot lifted his hand to his mouth, removing the cigarette as he made some comment that Riley was too far away to hear. The laughing smile lingered on his lips as he continued his casual conversation with the small group around him. From her position, Riley thought Spot looked like a completely different person when his face was relaxed in such a lighthearted, sarcastic way. His eyes were glittering with dark humor as they all erupted into laughter once more; their loud voices carrying across the stilled water.

Spot had a way of knowing when people were looking at him, so Riley quickly looked away before he could catch her. She sat Indian style, her dark blue dress smoothed out around her. The lodging house was an uncomfortable place for her to be at night, considering all of the newsboys who ignored her would be crowding the large common room. So Riley was happy that she could spend some time outside by the water to get some fresh air before she was forced to lay on that god forsaken cot and struggle for sleep that rarely came.

She normally refrained from being outside after dark. She had learned her lesson. The streets in this borough were dangerous. Besides, Spot had a thing about her being outside alone at night. Riley let out a defeated sigh... Some would think that Spot being protective over her would mean he cared, right? No, Spot had made it very clear that he didn't care. It only infuriated Riley further when she attempted to understand him.

She felt safe on this particular night because many newsboys also wanted to feel the cool summer night breeze that evening, so Riley was able to look at the stars without fearing the mean streets of Brooklyn.

Sure, Brooklyn had not been very kind to her, and the newsboys weren't very friendly with her at all... But she felt safe with them. It was a strange feeling, but Riley knew that she didn't have to worry about the dangers from the outside world when she was at the lodging house. Spot Conlon was a big enough worry for her anyway...

It had been three days. Three long, uncomfortable, lonely days since Spot had forced her into the kitchen after her insubordinate attitude had cut through his last ounce of patience. Three days of avoiding the infamous newsboy with the striking eyes that burned through her thoughts. Three whole days of jumping whenever the door opened to the common room, or when she would hear the creaking of footsteps on the stairs. Spot was not around much during those three days, so Riley didn't have to work too hard to avoid him. She didn't want to admit how much she thought about where he possibly could be, or what he was doing. By last night she was feeling anxious and was actually _hoping_ to catch a glimpse of him...

Then she had wandered across the street this evening at sunset, down to the docks overlooking the water. She passed by a few other newsboys scattered around before she pulled herself up on a random crate. That was when she scanned the faces of the other boys down at the end of the dock and saw him.

By that time, Spot had noticed her arrival. He had spared four seconds of his time to look at her. Just four seconds. His expression wasn't intense or intimidating; it had actually been nonchalant when he caught sight of her. Riley had felt her stomach tense when she saw him. He had broken off from his conversation, spied her position on the crate, and then continued talking as usual. Just four seconds and then that was it.

So now here she was; the sky now dark and the stars now glittering, feeling a little self conscience and very lonely.

The hot day had been sweltering, but the setting of the sun made a big difference. It was a bit chilly now, but Riley didn't mind it too much. She scooted further back on the crate, leaning against the wooden pole behind her and looked at the sky. Riley forced her mind away from all the boys spread around the pier and looked at the familiar stars. The talk and laughter from the numerous groups of boys around her was comforting in the quiet night. It hurt so much, being alone when you're surrounded by so many people. It felt like the stars were only allies at that moment. At least the stars were always there to calm her down and make the restless nights a little more beautiful.

Fighting the urge to look casually around the dock in order to catch another glimpse of Spot, Riley kept her eyes forced upward. It was at that moment when she heard footsteps coming her way. They were coming from the opposite end of the dock that Spot was occupying.

Riley glanced over to the sound of the footsteps and saw a familiar face.

"Blush!" She exclaimed quietly, her eyes shifting over to where Spot was standing, then back to the girl in front of her.

"There you are," Blush said with a roll of her eyes. "God, I've been looking for you, what are you doing down here? I've walked _enough_ today – then I was forced to climb two flights of stairs up to your damn 'storage room' when you weren't in the common room, and I _hate_ stairs-"

"_Blush!_" Riley repeated, this time in a quiet warning. She glanced over to Spot again, motioning to the end of the dock.

"What? Oh, you mean Spot? It's fine, he won't freak out like he did last time." Blush replied with a dismissive wave of her hand.

Riley saw Spot look over to the crate she was sitting on. He looked a little aggravated but ignored the two girls, loosely clenching his fists before he lit another cigarette.

Riley scoffed. "Oh, _okay_ - **now** he doesn't care?!"

"I know, right?" Blush smiled, knowing exactly what was going through Riley's mind. Why the hell was Spot suddenly okay with her being friends with Blush? Didn't he go ballistic just three days ago about this?

"Apparently my brother had a talk with him," Blush continued. She was referring to her brother Spike. He was Spot's second-in-command in the Lodging House. "Spot figured that you'd stop trying to talk to his news_boys_ if you had a girl you could talk to."

"Right," Riley replied, clenching her teeth together. "Because he can't have any of the male population in Brooklyn talking to me, for some stupid 'Spot Conlon' reason that I'll never understand."

Blush sat next to Riley on the crate and let out a long sigh. "I gotta go lay down pretty soon, I'm beat, but I figured I'd come say hi and see if you're still alive. I heard about the fight you had with Spot a few nights ago after I left..."

Riley remained silent, smoothing out her dress again to keep herself busy.

"The boys told me all about it. And about the huge bang they heard, and poor little Spin trying to be all noble," Blush said with a laugh. She turned to look at Riley, clearing her throat a little before her next question. "But, uh… He _didn't_ hurt you though, right?"

"No." Riley answered shortly. "He hurt the wall."

Blush let the grin return to her lips. "Yeah, he likes to hit things. You're gonna be around tomorrow, right?"

Riley turned her head and glared at her.

"What?!" Blush exclaimed defensively.

"Where the fuck else would I be? Please, rub it in a little more," Riley replied sarcastically. Humor was laced in her voice.

Blush laughed as she jumped down from her position on the crate. "I knew I liked you for a reason," She said, still laughing as she started walking away, talking over her shoulder. "I'll come visit tomorrow; we really need to talk more about our fearless leader over there."

Blush gave Riley a friendly wink before she sauntered off the dock, leaving Riley alone once again.

The night suddenly became less lonely as the comfort of actually having a friend cheered her up. Ignoring the goose bumps the cool breeze was giving her, Riley propped her arms behind her, leaning back as she spread her palms on the rough wood of the crate. She tensed when several pairs of footsteps came her way. It was Spot and his group of boys; she knew it without even looking.

Appearing casual, Riley didn't look at them and pretended like they didn't even exist. Riley felt his eyes as he focused on her. She continued leaning back on her hands, breathing in the cool night air as the Brooklyn boys went past her. She always had to take deep breaths whenever she knew that Spot was nearby.

Her gaze was ripped from the stars when she felt something brush up against her leg. She looked down and saw a worn, gray tweed jacket lying on the crate beside her.

Sitting up hastily, Riley looked at the group of boys that were walking off of the dock. Spot was flanked by his boys, lighting a cigarette and throwing the match into the river. She lifted the coat, fingering the texture. It was still warm with his body heat.

His faded blue shirt was the last thing she saw as they disappeared into the Lodging House across the street.

Her lips were parted in confusion. It was the most polite thing she had ever seen Spot do to anybody, especially her. Once again, her mind went off into a daze, overanalyzing the workings of Spot Conlon.

Riley glanced back to the other end of the dock. One of the boys that had just been a part of Spot's group was now sitting there alone, smoking a cigarette. His eyes were trained on the water. She knew he was ordered to stay on the dock with Riley to keep an eye on her.

Her heart fluttered with surprise and curiosity. Riley slid the warm sleeves of the coat up her arms; the change from cold to warm as she put on the jacket ran chills down her spine. She inconspicuously hugged her chest, tilting her head down so she could bury her nose in the collar. It smelled of nicotine, coffee, and also had the tiniest scent of whiskey. It smelled like Spot.

Eventually the dock was empty except for Riley and the strong newsboy still lounging at the other end. It was getting late and her eyes felt heavy. She would've stayed out there longer, relishing the feel of his jacket against her bare arms, but she scooted off the crate anyway. Riley rolled her eyes when she heard the newsboy following her across the street to the Lodging House.

A few late nighters were playing cards in the common room, but mostly the place was quiet.

Riley walked slowly up the stairs to the third floor, peeking into the bunkroom on the second floor to see if Spot was in there. He wasn't.

Nervously, she made it to the third floor and held her breath as her footsteps made the floorboards creak.

Spot's door was closed; no light was escaping into the hallway from the crack underneath it. Riley crossed one of her arms over her chest, running her hand along one of the sleeves of his jacket.

Tomorrow would be another hot day; Spot wouldn't need it in the morning. She'd give it to him tomorrow.

That night Riley's mind raced. She couldn't turn it off. She couldn't stand him for making her think so much about it. How dare he yell at her and make her feel like garbage, then do something nice! She barely saw him for three whole days, didn't speak to him once, but he gave her his jacket when she was cold? What?! It made no sense.

The worst part was that Riley could just picture the arrogant smirk on his face, relishing in the fact that he had once again given her something to think about. He loved the game he was playing.

Or maybe he was afraid that if Riley hated him she'd go to the police about the things that she saw...

Either way, Riley rested her head against her pillow, staring at the jacket hanging on the doorknob. It smelled like Spot… A part of her wanted to breathe in his scent as she went to sleep...

Riley drifted off, waking up the next morning feeling very groggy. She _definitely_ had a dream while she slept. Something about wanting to smell Spot Conlon's coat again...? The thought made her laugh.

She sat up in bed and eyed the coat, giving it a dirty look as if it were Spot himself.

It would've been easy to leave the coat on his bed. He was out selling right now, so why not? That way she wouldn't have to go out of her way to see him or speak to him today.

After getting ready for the day, Riley walked across the hallway to Spot's bedroom. She had been in there once before, but got caught. She felt like a child about to get caught stealing a cookie. With the coat in one hand, she reached for the doorknob.

It was locked.

Knitting her eyebrows together, Riley tried to turn the knob one more time. It wouldn't budge. She knocked but the room was empty. She put her hand on her hip, her curiosity taking control. She didn't know he had a lock on his door...

She abruptly stopped her train of thought. Curiosity was bad for her. Her curiosity for Spot was the whole reason why she was here in the first place.

Fine. She'd hand it to him when he was done selling. Laying the coat across her own bed, Riley walked downstairs to the common room. She was expecting a visit from Blush today, and for some reason it gave her butterflies. Blush wanted to talk to Riley about Spot, and it was obvious that 'Spot Talk' was never very good. Spot was a bad boy, and that meant that _any _gossip about him would be bad too.

Riley definitely needed a reality check with Spot Conlon. The memory of his scent was still on her mind. Yes, Riley _really_ needed to snap out of it and remind herself exactly who she was dealing with…

The leader who ran Brooklyn was infamous for a reason.

**I'm so touched by the reviews! It's so very nice of every single one of you to let me know what you think; I appreciate them more than you know. So thank you!**

**This chapter was a little different; not much interaction, but it was needed. I have a plan. So I'll post the next chapter soon. I'd like some feedback on what you all think of this chapter first, it helps me a lot while I try to get into my writing again! Thanks for reading!**


	23. Missing Butterflies

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Newsies, but I own the others.**

_**A/N**_** – Longer chapter. I randomly started writing, it's not exactly what I planned, so I hope it doesn't mess me up. I just wanted to post it because I promised I'd update soon. I wouldn't doubt that there are mistakes in this chapter, so I'll go back and proof read it again tomorrow. I'm too tired to do it again!**

**--**

Blush showed up after selling the morning addition. Riley was so excited to leave the house that she practically ran out the door, making Blush tag along behind her.

They ended up on a bench just a few streets away. Blush was telling her funny stories from that morning, and Riley was laughing lightheartedly.

Then, she remembered that Blush wanted to talk to her about Spot…

"Hey, Blush?" Riley asked. "You know a lot about Spot, right?"

The smile slowly faded from Blush's face. "Yeah, why?"

"I just want to know more about him…" Riley shrugged. "Like how he became so… So _well known_, you know?"

"Ah, the rise of Spot Conlon…"

"Tell me." Riley ordered, her eyes bright. "Please?"

Blush snorted with laughter. "I've heard the story _so_ many times. Never from Spot, but from all the people who talk about him."

"Please?" Riley asked again.

Blush rolled her eyes, but agreed. "See, Spot was just a kid. He was just starting to learn how to sell newspapers. He was sleeping on the streets, I guess. They say that he didn't try to make a reputation for himself - he just fought to survive doing what he could. He started selling by this market; it was called Alberto's Market, but now I think it's some cigar store... Anyway, it was a good selling spot. Right on a corner, lots of people, and lots of shade from the sun on hot days."

"I don't really care about ideal places to sell, hun." Riley cut off her rambling.

"Right," Blush got a sparkle in her eye, relishing in the gossip of the story she had started telling. "See, the old leader around here was tough as hell. They called him Boss. He made Brooklyn a place where only the toughest kids were accepted. One morning he noticed this kid selling outside Alberto's Market. He realized how good of a selling spot it was, you know? They say he just walked to the corner, right near this little kid, and started yelling his headlines. He sold those papes real fast and didn't even care that the little kid was there first. See, I don't know if Spot knew how important Boss was in Brooklyn..." Blush paused to ponder this, then shrugged her shoulders. "If he did know that Boss was a leader then he sure as hell didn't show it, 'cause he stomped right over to Boss, grabbed his last pape, and ripped it in half."

"That sounds like Spot."

Blush shook her head. "You gotta understand, Riley; Boss was scary, like _real _scary. Spot had a lot of guts doing that. They say that Boss didn't even see it coming, 'cause all the sudden the kid starts kicking him and pounding on his chest. The whole time the kid was screaming, 'this is my selling spot, get outta here, it was my mine first!' over and over again."

Riley could picture a younger Spot Conlon trying to act tough.

"Boss pushed him down to the ground, but Spot just toughed it out and kept swinging at this guy that was twice his height and a hundred times stronger than him. Boss thought it was fucking hilarious. He had this sudden respect for the little kid, you know? Boss bought five of the kid's papes and left. I guess he went back to the Lodging House that night and kept talking about this tough little kid that stood up to him that day by the market."

"The leader guy was talking about Spot? I don't get it. Wouldn't he be mad about a newsie disrespecting him like that?"

Blush laughed. "No, Boss got a kick out of this kid defending his selling spot, you know? He even gave Boss a huge bruise on his leg. My brother even saw it; Spike is the same age as Spot, but he was living at the Lodging House with Boss at the time."

"Anyway, the story goes that Boss would entertain himself the next few weeks by sending some of his younger newsies to that same spot to sell their papers, just to tick off the kid who tried fighting him. Boss would hide out and watch him soak every newsie that tried selling there. Boss loved it. The kid had no idea that Boss was the reason why he kept getting into all these fights, you know? Boss started calling the kid Spot when he would talk about him back at the Lodging House. The kid who was defending his selling spot, you know? Get it?"

"Oh!" Riley burst out laughing, startling some people passing by them. "I always wondered why his name was _Spot_! It seemed strange to have a mother name her child that..."

"Yeah, it's just a nickname Boss gave him. _Anyway_, Boss brought some of his higher ranking boys along one day to check out this 'Spot' kid who sold by the market. See, Boss had seen that Spot was a good fighter, so he sent three of his newsies to take him on. Spot's smart though. He had figured out that something fishy was going on considering how many newsies were starting fights with him everyday." Blush continued, "So Boss and his boys sat back and watched three of his newsies confront the kid…"

Riley was mesmerized by the story, her lips parted and her eyes wide. "What happened?"

Blush smiled. "See, this time Spot had a weapon with him"

Riley raised her eyebrows. "A weapon? Wasn't he just a kid?"

"Yeah, just a kid, but _smart_. Spot had a cane hanging through his belt loop. A cane with a gold tip, like something a richie would carry. The story goes that Spot took out all three newsies, right in front of Boss and a couple other powerful Brooklyn boys."

"He beat them? Three vs. one?"

"Yup," Blush replied proudly. "That's when Boss confronted the kid; told him all about himself being the leader, and how he had sent all those newsboys those past few weeks to test him."

Riley leaned back on the bench. "Test him for what?"

"Test him to become one of them. Live at the Lodging House, be one of the boys, all that."

Riley nodded her head, looking around at all of the people on the street. "What happened to Boss?"

"He settled down with some lady." Blush answered, picking at her shoelace. "I started selling papes right before Spot became leader. Boss had practically raised him to run the streets of Brooklyn, so it was obvious who would take his place. The boys call Spot 'Boss' sometimes because it's a sign of respect. Spot was given the keys to the Lodging House, Boss moved to Philly, and Brooklyn got a new leader."

Blush finished her story with a smirk.

"He confuses me, Blush…"

"He gives a damn about you, just in case you didn't know."

Riley looked up quickly to study Blush's face. "What are you talking about?"

"I can see it… He has all these rules, and refuses to help you convince your friend to let you back into your apartment."

Riley was lost in thought as she stood up from the bench. "Let's go for a walk."

"Think about it," Blush continued, walking beside Riley as she spoke. "If he didn't give a damn then he'd just ignore you instead of get mad at you all of the time."

"I wanted to just ignore him," Riley told her. "I wanted to just stop talking to him all together…"

"No." Blush said sternly, taking a step in front of Riley and stopping. "No, no, that would piss him off. Look, Spot is –"

Riley looked confused as Blush stopped talking abruptly. "Spot is what?"

Blush was looking over Riley's shoulder, raising one eyebrow in confusion. "Mad, and coming this way."

Riley spun in a circle to see what Blush was staring at. Spot was running towards them, three other Brooklyn newsboys on his heels. He looked like he was going to tackle them. Neither of them spoke as he stopped right in front of the two.

Fury flashed in his stormy eyes, sweat glistening on his forehead. "Blush, go back to the Lodging House, _now_. Get her inside," he growled, pulling out his cane.

Blush seemed taken back by his abrupt appearance. She didn't respond, but paled at the look on Spot's face.

Riley hesitantly turned to Blush. She was still determined not to speak to Spot, but wanted to know what Blush was reading from his expression. "What's going on, Blush?" She asked.

"_Go._" Spot commanded, staring down the newsgirl. "I'm not fucking around, get out of here. I don't want her out of that Lodging House until I say so."

Blush nodded stiffly and grabbed Riley's hand, trying to drag her back to the Lodging House.

"Wait!" Riley protested, looking at Spot then back to Blush. She pulled her arm away from Blush. "What the hell! Let's at least go to the docks, not back to the house!"

Spot roughly grabbed Riley's other arm, causing her to stop talking as he pulled her close. His hot breath was on her ear. "I told you to do something, woman," he fumed, urgently shoving her in the direction Blush was trying to bring her. "I said get inside, and that's an order, Cardoni."

Riley had stumbled away from his push, finally regained her balance as he pointed his cane down the street. "_Go_! Blush, get her out of here."

His eyes were dancing with rage and fire, and it was difficult to look away as she was pulled away from him. He looked dangerous; protective. Something was wrong, and it was as if he didn't want her around to find out.

She finally broke away from his gaze when she stumbled again on the uneven road. "Blush!" Riley complained, turning away from him and focusing on the newsgirl that was towing her down the street.

"Go faster!" Blush answered, ignoring Riley's stumbles.

Spike was approaching them, running to reach Spot who was now much further down the street.

"Spike!" Blush yelled, her voice more of a question as she caught his attention.

"Get her inside, _quick_." He said, running past them. "It's Harlem."

Riley felt her arm practically yank out of its socket as Blush pulled her faster, quickening her pace.

"Fuck," Blush said to herself, pushing people out of the way. "Riley, look," she started, glancing quickly over her shoulder as they hurried down the street. "Don't ask questions. I know you get curious - you don't shut up - but _don't_ ask questions. We need to get you out of sight."

"But –"

"_Please_, Riley." Blush glanced at her again.

Riley saw the urgency on Blush s face. She wanted to ask what was happening, but knew that it was time to follow orders and do what she was told.

They got to the Lodging House in a few minutes. Riley felt like her arm was going to fall off. The Brooklyn newsboys were running out the door, into the streets to eventually group up with Spot and the others. Blush pulled Riley inside, slammed the door behind her, and went to the window.

"Why –"

"Shh," Blush quieted her, pressing her hands on the window and peering down the street.

The tension rolling off of Blush caused Riley to jump a mile in the air when the door to the Lodging House flew open.

A tough looking boy stumbled over to them. "Hey, are you okay?!" He asked.

It was Ryder. He was the same newsie that spoke to Riley one night and ended up getting beat up by Spot for it. He had learned his lesson and had kept his distance ever since; but now he was walking right up to her, concern clear in his eyes as he glanced from her to Blush.

"Where are they?" Blush asked, turning away from the window before Riley could even open her mouth to speak. "Where are they and what the hell are they doing here?"

"One of Spot s runners saw about five of them walking," Ryder answered, ignoring Riley again. He looked shaken. "Spot was livid. They've been trying to talk to him for a while, you know?" He glanced at Riley for just a second. "Then Spin told him that you and the girl went for a walk... He freaked out, it looked like he was gonna kill somebody. It scared the shit out of me. He sent a bunch of us out to find her but you were just down the street, so..."

Despite the whole story that he just told, Riley rolled her eyes at one part. "So I'm 'the girl'? Damn, Ryder, it's _Riley_; my name is Riley. I'm standing right here –"

"Shh!" Blush put up her hand to quiet her again. "Ryder, do they know?" She asked.

"I don't know. Spot s going to flip if they do." He shook his head, probably picturing the scene in his head. "That would be entertaining... But he said that I gotta stay here with her until he gets back."

"Wait," Riley spoke up, stepping between the two of them. "Do they know what?" Riley asked. "What are you talking about?" They ignored her.

"Spot's going to kill them," Blush said, crossing her arm and glancing nervously out the window again.

Riley bit her lip, her mind running. Blush's comment didn't seem so far fetched. But what did Riley have to do with any of this? She wasn't involved in Spot's leadership role. She had nothing to do with his rivalries.

Then Riley gasped. "Oh, no..."

"Riley, don't." Blush warned, knowing that she just realized what was going on. "It's not a big deal, seriously."

"I _do_ have something to do with this!" Riley panicked, remembering the night she was fired from her job. She put her hand to her forehead, backing up to the couch. "Oh, God... Keep me out of your newspaper fights!"

"Don't freak out," Blush said with a laugh. "You have nothing to do with Harlem. Nobody knows that Spot has you staying here. He's banned all of Brooklyn and Manhattan from talking about it." She winked. "He's very protective."

"Yeah, because they'd play with her like some rag doll." Ryder commented with a scowl. "Especially with the stuff that she saw that night..." Ryder ran his fingers through his hair, his eyes looking Riley up and down. "You could be a problem, girly."

Riley glared at him. "Aren't you supposed to _not_ talk to me?" She snapped.

Ryder smirked.

"Spot just doesn't want you involved, Riley." Blush explained, taking a seat next to her on the couch. "As much as you don't believe me, he does give a damn about what happens to you."

"Trust me," Ryder added, his fingers touching the eye that had recently held a vicious bruise that Spot had given him. "He wants us boys staying away from you. He went easy on me 'cause I'm from Brooklyn. But he'd kill anybody else who is stupid enough to disobey his orders." He said with a hint of pride.

Riley couldn't help but feel color reach her cheeks at the idea of Spot protecting her. Unfortunately, the feeling was short lived; because Ryder was right - Spot Conlon didn't have a problem with putting somebody in their place.

"They won't fight," Blush said confidently, practically reading Riley's mind. "It's in broad daylight, you know?"

Ryder nodded in agreement. "I don't know why the fuck they'd come though."

Riley glanced at the window. She wanted to know more about Spot. She was in too deep, but it was too late now. Riley Cardoni couldn't fight her growing obsession with the King of Brooklyn.

"Hey, I'll be right back..."

Riley didn't even wait for a response as she ran up to the third floor and into her room, shutting the door behind her as she sat on her bed. She pressed Spot's coat against her cheek, taking in his familiar scent. It helped calm her mind from all of the conflicting thoughts. God, she _hated_ him for making her actually care. She hated his smirk, his cocky attitude, his sarcastic jokes… She hated herself for craving the feeling of being around him, and the butterflies that she always felt in her stomach when she caught him looking at her. She hated herself for being set up for disappointment.

But most of all, she hated him for putting her in such a dangerous position.

Riley vowed to get him to talk to her when he got back. It went against her previous vow to not speak to him, but Blush had made her change her mind. She was nervous about this Harlem situation, and Spot would be the only person who would tell her about it.

Besides, Riley missed the butterflies.

--

**I know there hasn't been a lot of Spot but this chapter has some back story. I'm **_**SO**_** excited to write the next chapter. I want to thank all of my reviewers! If you keep up with this story then let me know what you think. I am far from perfect so I know that there is a lot that can improve this story and all the characters! So I'll be waiting for some reviews before I update. Thanks again!**


	24. Demands

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Newsies, but I own the others.**

It was about an hour and a half before Spot finally arrived back at the Lodging House. Riley knew it was Spot because heavy footsteps had climbed the stairs all the way to the third floor; the floor that only Spot and herself occupied. She flung her door open and became face to face with him. His jacket was still in her hands.

Spot looked from her eyes to the jacket, then back up to her eyes again. He raised an eyebrow.

"Oh," Riley shook out of her stupor. "Here, your coat..." She handed it to him. "Um, thanks. You know, for letting me use it."

"We need to talk." Spot said, taking the jacket from her and nodding in the direction of his room. "C'mon."

Riley didn't think about the fact that they could've easily spoke in the hallway. She just followed him silently into his room, her stomach doing a nervous flip when he closed the door behind him. She was not used to being in his room.

"What happened?" She asked tentatively.

Spot threw his jacket onto his bed, slid his cane out of his belt loop, and placed it on the table. He ran his fingers through his hair and took a frustrated breath before he locked the door.

The sound of the lock vibrated through Riley's ears, setting a tense vibe through her body.

"What happened?" She asked again, backing away from him instinctively. "I know that you made me come back here with Blush because some Harlem people were around."

"Would you ever turn on me, Cardoni?" Spot asked suddenly, turning to face her. "Would you ever open your mouth about what you saw that night?"

Riley frowned in confusion. "No..." She answered slowly. "I told you - I want nothing to do with that."

Spot studied her fiercely, making her nervous.

"What happened??" Riley asked for a third time.

Spot didn't answer her. He was deep in thought, glaring around the room, cracking his knuckles.

"I was thinking..." Riley started, trying a different subject. "Spot, you could talk to Bonnie, couldn't you? Convince her that you and I aren't involved?" She asked hopefully. "It would get me out of your way and you can forget that I was ever involved with the stuff I saw..."

Spot shook his head firmly. "No."

Riley let out an exasperated sigh, suddenly angry with the impossible leader in the room with her. "Well, why?!"

"I don't want you staying at that apartment, _bottom line_." Spot answered, his intense glare catching her eyes again as he paced the room. "It's a risk now, and I'm not going to let anybody else touch you." Spot seemed conflicted with what he wanted to tell her. He stopped pacing and faced her. "Look, they know about you," he said, bring his voice down a notch. It took a second for Riley to understand - he was talking about Harlem.

However, Spot didn't give her time to ponder the information he just gave her. "I don't want to have to keep checking up on you to see if they bother you; I have enough to deal with, understand?"

"I don't get it, Conlon. I thought I was nothing but trouble to you. What would your stupid newsies want with _me_?" Riley said, putting her hand to her chest. "If you could just explain to Bonnie…"

"I don't need to explain _shit_, Cardoni." Spot cut her off, slamming his fist into the table. "Things have changed - so if you're gonna live in Brooklyn it'll be here; or you can go back to Mommy and Daddy. I'm giving you those two options."

"Why are you the one to decide what my options are?"

"Because you're in Brooklyn, doll. What I say goes. And right now I say that you stop asking questions. Just be a good girl and listen, _no_ questions." Spot paused, wiping the back of his hand along his glistening forehead. Then a thought came to him; he calmed down, a suggestive smirk slowly tugged at his lips as he looked at her. "I mean, you _are_ good girl, right, Cardoni?"

Riley scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion. "What? Of course I am."

"I don't know..." Spot pondered to himself, taking a step forward, his body only inches away now. He looked her over. "It's hard to tell..."

"What do you mean?" Riley asked, her curiosity taking over instead of arguing with him.

Spot crept even closer, making her tense. The warmth of his body made her skin tingle. "Well... A good girl wouldn't get all flustered whenever I get real close to her..." Spot's rough hand slowly moved to her face, his fingers brushing her hair back, "... or catch her breath whenever I touch her..."

It was then that Riley noticed her uneven breathing and quickly tried to take slow, calming breaths. It was hard to do when those powerful eyes were locking her in place, preventing her from focusing on anything but the man in front of her.

Riley became very aware now that his shirt was halfway unbuttoned, showing the tanned skin that covered his hard chest. One suspender was hanging loose at his side. The tension made the air feel thick, and Riley could feel the fire creeping into her cheeks as her heart beat quickened. She couldn't comprehend how the mood could change so drastically…

"You think I don't notice?" Spot questioned, a knowing glint in his eyes. "You think I don't notice the way you react?" He thumb caressed her warm cheek, "How you bite your lip whenever I touch you?"

Riley realized that she now had to fight the urge to bite her bottom lip; something she must have done around Spot without even realizing it. Her mind was racing with conflict; usually when Spot spoke to her like this it felt like he was doing it just for his own entertainment, but now it felt more like an interrogation. Riley was always prepared to stick up for herself around Spot, but this time she found her defenses weakening.

She noticed that Spot was waiting for a response; his fingers still gently touching her cheek.

"I .. I don't know what you're talki - " Riley stopped; she wanted to kick herself. She could hear the unformed sentences coming out of her mouth without thought. Spot raised his eyebrows, amused, as she tried to speak.

Riley cleared her throat and tried to shake herself out of his trance, "- I don't know what you mean." She finished. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm _fine_."

He rolled his eyes. "C'mon, Cardoni, I don't let anybody lie to me; you should know that by now." Spot asserted; his fingers sliding below her jaw line, the palm of his hand beneath her chin. He kept her face tilted up so she couldn't look away as he delved further. "I already know the truth," Spot murmured undoubtedly, confidence radiating from his whole body, "I just want to hear you say it."

Riley stood up a little straighter, finally understanding what he wanted so badly. "No." She protested.

"Just _say it_ and I'll leave you alone." Spot demanded, his voice deep and gravelly. The atmosphere in the room was suffocating. Riley could feel the power in his voice; it was probably the same tone he used in his role as leader. Why did he want to know this so badly?

"I have _nothing _to say – I'm sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Conlon." Riley retorted with a shrug, playing her upper-class part and attempting to remain unaffected by his schemes.

Spot must have noticed her internal struggle. The smirk disappeared from his lips. The hand that was on her cheek moved to the back of Riley's neck. "You can't deny it. I'm no fool, woman." He seemed angered by her resistance. "_Stop_ fighting it - just submit to it and I'll let you out of this room."

Riley couldn't think of anything more embarrassing then telling Spot Conlon that she was attracted to him. She pressed her lips together, refusing to give him what he wanted. She would never be able to face him if he got what he wanted right now.

His stormy eyes raged with impatience. He gripped the back of her neck, raising her face up to his. "I'll get it out of you, you know." He pressed, looking like he was suppressing the urge to snap with impatience. It was obvious that Spot Conlon, leader of Brooklyn, got what he wanted. His ego was raging with the need to dominate Riley like he had done to all of the others.

"Unlock the door, Conlon." Riley said, her voice shaky despite her attempt to remain strong. "Quit messing around – it's not funny."

Spot's eyes narrowed. His lips inched closer to her ear; his breathing causing tingles to run down her body. "I'm not laughing," he breathed, "I want to hear you say it."

"No…" Riley trailed off, her eyes closing when she felt Spot's lips on her earlobe. She fought the urge to grab onto him when his silky lips kissed the skin below her ear. The kiss was soft as a feather, but her skin felt extra sensitive under his touch.

"You won't admit it?" He whispered onto her skin, his other hand firmly holding the other side of her neck. She tried shaking her head.

Riley felt his warm tongue sweeping across the racing pulse point on her neck. It felt amazing, but she refused to feel the embarrassment of giving in to his demands…

"No," Riley replied close to a whimper, her head slung back as his experienced kisses trailed down from her ear. "I won't."

Her knees felt like they would give way at any moment…

She knew he was getting frustrated when his grip grew firmer. His lips were now on the crook of her neck, his tongue making her shiver with desire that she tried desperately to fight.

"Admit that you want more," He breathed during the intoxicating kisses, his teeth softly grazing her skin when he spoke. Riley had to hide her sudden gasp when she felt it. She remained silent, only her uneven breath escaping from her lips… No, she won't give in… No. She couldn't.

His breathing was heavy with anger. "_Say it, Riley._" Spot growled into her neck. He swept his fingers up through her hair, grabbing onto the long, brown locks as he slightly jerked her head back again. His lips left her neck as he met her gaze; the look in his eyes made it hard for Riley to breathe. She was moments away from giving in, telling him that she wanted him to take her, to make her feel more of him…

Spot moved his thumb up to her mouth, his light touch making the nerve endings on her lips tingle as he slid it along her bottom lip. He was going to kiss her… Riley's heart fluttered with anticipation.

Then something happened. Spot raised his eyebrows, and released his hold from her. Riley took a deep breath, not realizing how long she was holding it when he was looking at her.

His smirk reappeared as he took a step back. The warmth of his body was gone.

"Alright, Cardoni." He said quietly, nodding his head. It was hard not to notice the new spark in his eyes. Was it respect? A new challenge? Riley still had no recovered, but tried to look composed as she studied his expression.

Spot crossed his arms over his hard chest. "Fine. I'll let you win – but where are you going to be staying from now on?"

Riley cleared her throat, unable to fight him much further. "Here." She answered. "I'll stay here."

"Good," He answered, turning his back on her to unlock the door. He opened it. "So we're agreed - no more talk about Bonnie and your old apartment."

And with that, Riley realized that he was the one who _really_won. She had stopped bothering him about Bonnie, and had asked no more questions about Harlem. Spot Conlon got what he wanted by fooling Riley into thinking she was the one in control. It was hard not to respect him for that.

But eventually, that night, the news about Harlem had finally sunk in. It didn't make her as nervous as it normally would have. Her mind was too cluttered with other thoughts… Thoughts about Spot Conlon: his lips, his tongue, and the look in his eyes when she was sure he was about to kiss her…

**Please review! I'll post the next chapter after I get some good ones! Thanks for reading – you are all awesome!**


	25. Brooklyn's Warning

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Newsies, but I own the others.**

Riley woke up the next morning and sighed when she looked in the mirror. She grabbed an airy white summer dress from her room and spent the next fifteen minutes scrubbing every inch of her body in the bathtub. She felt so much better once all of the dirt from the dusty street was off of her.

She laced up the front of her dress, her long brown hair making the fabric damp as it rested down to the middle of her back. She combed out her hair and pushed the front strands back, holding them in place with some decorative combs she had managed to snag from the apartment when Spot had brought her to get some of her things a while ago.

Riley felt lonely as ever, pacing back and forth in the common room while the Brooklyn boys were out selling their newspapers. Her only friend, Blush, was out there with them. She busied herself by tidying up a bit and salvaging enough food in the kitchen to fill her stomach.

While cleaning the grime off of the windows, Riley thought she saw Spot across the street, making his way down to the docks with a group of his boys.

Riley was dying to get out of the Lodging House but didn't want to run after him. She had too much pride to be by his side the moment he came back, even though he'd made it perfectly clear that he didn't want her outside on her own.

Riley glanced out the window again and saw a familiar figure strolling down the street towards the Lodging House. She smiled and walked outside.

"My, my, my... Jack Kelly... to what do I owe this visit?" Riley asked, smiling at him. Jack jogged up to her, throwing his half smoked cigarette on the street.

"I have a letter for you." Jack said, handing her an envelope with her name written elegantly on the front. "It arrived at Bonnie's yesterday."

Riley held the crisp envelope in both of her hands. "Oh, no..." She said, looking up at Jack. "My parents."

"Oh, no!" Jack taunted, his voice over dramatic. He laughed. "It ain't gonna bite, hun. Just open it."

Riley opened the door to the Lodging House and walked back inside, Jack following close behind. She pulled out the bright white paper from inside and started to read.

_Dearest Riley,_

_You have not written to your father and I like you promised you would. Your father was told of your recent trouble with the job he set up for you in Brooklyn. As you know, I was against you working to begin with. However, your father was appalled with the news. I hope there is a good explanation for you being fired, Riley. Your father is very surprised with you. _

_It sounds as though life away from Staten Island is not as easy as you thought it would be. I am prepared to come and visit if I feel that you aren't doing as well as we originally thought. Perhaps you should come home if you must. _

_Please write to us promptly, Riley dear. I have sent some money with another service and it should be arriving shortly after this letter. I will be waiting for your response to see how you are doing -_

"Hey!" Riley yelled. The paper was ripped from her hands before she could finish reading the rest of it. Spot had entered the Lodging House with the group of boys she saw him with at the docks.

"Well, well... What do we got here, huh?" Spot pondered, holding the paper over his head to read it out of Riley's reach. She jumped but was unable to grab it.

"It's a letter from my parents, give it to me, Spot!"

Spot smiled. "_Give_ it to you, Cardoni?" He looked away from the letter, eyeing her up and down. He winked at her, knowing that a wink from Spot Conlon could make a girl melt.

"You wish," Riley sneered, making another grab for the letter.

Spot snatched it out of her reach again. "Leave me alone - I'm reading." He said, rolling his eyes and walking away.

Riley threw her hands in the air in frustration. She looked around to see Spot's top ranking boys, including his second-in-command, Spike, now scattered around the room looking at her. She gave up on Spot and turned back to face Jack.

"So you came here just to be a delivery boy?" Riley asked him, her cheeks still flushed from Spot's wandering eye.

Jack stopped greeting the other Brooklyn boys and answered her. "Well, that, and other reasons..."

Riley curiously tilted her head to the side. "Oh yeah?" She asked. "Like what?"

Jack shrugged. "Business." He simply replied, not meeting her eye during his response. He obviously didn't want to explain more.

"Business," Riley repeated bitterly. "You boys and your _business_."

Jack smiled faintly. "Yeah, there's been a lot of it lately."

Riley studied his face and bit her lip. The Harlem newsies from yesterday must have something to do with it.

"A'right, listen - don't leave the Lodging House at all tonight," Spot had come up behind her, startling Riley as his voice reached her ears. He handed her back the letter.

"Actually I really wanted to get _out_ of the Lodging House," Riley replied, hiding her frustration. She hated that she needed to ask his permission. "Jack will come with me, won't you, Jack?"

Jack pursed his lips together and looked down to his feet, his right hand moving to rub the back of his neck. "Uh, actually, Riley... We got something we need to do," he looked up and met her eyes. "It's probably best that you stay in the Lodging House for now."

Riley's eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. "What are you doing exactly...?"

"We're meeting some girls a few blocks away," Spot replied, a playful smirk pulling at his lips. "I need to let loose and these girls know _just_ how I like it. That make you jealous, Cardoni?"

Despite her efforts to stop it, Riley felt her stomach turn. She glanced from Spot's smug face to Jack's. A silent sigh of relief left her lips when she met Jack's look; he was shaking his head, rolling his eyes in laughter.

Oh, so this was Spot's idea of a joke? Making up stories to cover up what he was doing? Stories about other girls, of course. It killed Riley to think about the thousands of girls who would throw themselves at his feet...

After seeing Jack's expression, Riley knew that they weren't really going to meet with some girls when they left. She shrugged her shoulders for Spot's benefit, feigning disinterest. "Go ahead, have fun. What do I care?"

Jack lit up a cigarette, sensing a confrontation that he may start laughing at. He walked out of the Lodging House to catch some air, saving himself the backlash he'd receive if he stuck around. Spot stayed inside and smirked at Riley's reaction, eyebrows slightly raised. Her question of 'what do I care?' seemed funny to him.

"What are you smiling about?" Riley asked, offended by the knowing look on his face. "I _don't_ care. The answer to that question is _I don't care_." She stated firmly. "Just so you know, I don't care in the slightest." she finished rather pathetically, ruining the effect she was trying to have after seeing the laughter in his eyes.

"Okay, dollface." Spot nonchalantly replied, amused as always, his eyes leaving her face as he adjusted the hat on top of his head.

"Don't smile at me like I care about your girlfriends because I already told you, I really don't care." Riley said, forcing a laugh. "Not at _all_. Don't care."

Spot pulled some change out of his pocket as she spoke, unconcerned by her persistence. "So, just to clarify... you're saying that you _don't_ care?" He muttered sarcastically, making fun of her repetitive answer while he busied himself by counting the coins in his hand.

Riley felt like a complete idiot - repeating 'I don't care' was certainly not helping her. She shut her mouth and abandoned her attempt to appear unphased.

"You're gonna write back to your parents," Spot said, changing the subject, pocketing his change once he finished counting it. "You're gonna tell them that life is perfect and you're doing just fine in Brooklyn, got it? They know you got fired but you can put a spin on the story by saying it wasn't up to your 'standards' or some shit. Tell them something to keep them from visiting anytime soon. Jack will send that money over to you when it arrives."

Riley sat down on the chair beside her, elbows propped on the table. "I don't have paper or ink to write to them."

"I'll send Blush to get some. She'll make sure it's sent out when you're done." Spot said as he looked over Riley's shoulder to catch the attention of the boys waiting for him around common room. He nodded his head towards the door, and Riley heard them filing outside to wait for him. She had a strange feeling about whatever they were off to go do.

"So I'm going to lie to them...?" Riley questioned cautiously. "You know, about Bonnie and everything?"

Spot's gem-like eyes moved to her face. "_Or_ you can write to them and tell them the truth. They can come pick you up and bring you home."

Riley heard the door close as the last of the boys left the room. She crossed her arms over her chest. "I already told you I won't do that. Coming to Brooklyn was my _only_ chance to be on my own. If I tell them, if I admit to them that I messed it up," she paused to shake her head. "I won't do it."

Spot let out an impatient sigh. "God, woman, you are unbelievable, you know that?" He said, standing on the opposite side of the table as he looked down at her. "I know you hate being stuck in my world, exposed to the streets, living in a storage room." Spot listed off. He lowered his voice as he put both of his fists on the wooden table, leaning down so they were at eye level. "You saw us killing a guy in the street and it scares you do death. You _know_ that it'll keep happening if Harlem keeps this shit up."

Riley listened with bated breath. She licked her lips as she struggled to keep from pushing him further... "But why?" She blurted out, unable to stop herself. "Why do I need to worry about that? I don't understand how your _newspaper_ world is dangerous to me! They have no reason to care about me here!"

Spot gritted his teeth at her 'newspaper' comment, but chose to ignore it. "They know you were there that night - they know you're living here because you know too much. It makes me look weak taking pity on some fucking high class dame who got thrust into the life of street kids and power struggles. So now you _are_ a part of it, whether you like it or not." Spot clenched his fists on top of the table. "Don't you understand what could happen to you if this keeps up? Being in Brooklyn right now is a guarantee that you'll witness more of it. Harlem is fucking with me and I'll prove to them, one way or another, that nobody fucks with _Spot Conlon_ and lives to speak about it." His voice was menacing and it frightened her.

Spot continued his glare. "You could go _home_, Cardoni, simple as that. You could forget all about Brooklyn, forget about me and these streets, and move on."

Riley pondered his words, a familiar knot of fear forming in her stomach. She still had nightmares of the lifeless body she saw at Spot's feet on the night she stumbled across his act of war... Beating a man to death as if it were an obligation, an insult that he even dared to enter Spot's territory. She remembered Spot's story about the man they had killed. Apparently one of the Brooklyn newsies had already been beat to death before Riley even met Spot Conlon. She couldn't imagine what it'd be like to have another Brooklynite die, especially since she knew all of them now.

Riley stared into his illustrious eye and saw the danger that all of New York feared. It was a shimmer of violence that had been present from the first day she saw him. Despite all of the warnings, first from Bonnie and now from Spot himself, she couldn't help but feel drawn to him. She felt more alive around the leader of Brooklyn than she'd ever felt in her whole life.

A flashback of her meaningless day-to-day life in Staten Island flew into her memory. Riley knew that if she surrendered her freedom in Brooklyn, surrendered her new life that revolved around Spot Conlon, she'd never be able to 'move on' as he suggested. She'd spend every minute of every day thinking about him, about Brooklyn. Her nightmares would be replaced with dreams of his eyes, his face, his striking presence, his touch... She wasn't prepared to give in to the torture of his absence; no matter what the cost.

"No," Riley finally answered, causing Spot to stand up straight and roll his eyes. "If I go home I'll be stuck in Staten Island for the rest of my life, set up in some marriage that my parents would arranged, unable to make any more decisions for myself. You don't know what that's like!" Frustrated, Riley stood up and ran her fingers through her hair, ripping her eyes away from his memorizing face. She hadn't meant to explain so much to him. "My point is this-" Riley composed herself, hands on her hips, standing up a bit straighter, "I have no intention of leaving Brooklyn, end of story." She stated, remaining defiant with her decision. "Convincing me otherwise is just a waste of your time."

Spot narrowed his eyes, dropping his nonchalant act as he gave her his full attention again. "You're in _my_ part of the city, Cardoni. You wanna stay in Brooklyn then that's your decision - but if the day ever comes when I order you to leave, you _will_ leave." There was a dark meaning behind his words that made her skin tingle with a frigid cold. She had a feeling he meant something harsher in those words.

Riley nodded in response, unable to think of the proper way to reply to the strength and power now radiating off of him.

Spot continued, a hostile and unsympathetic look in his eyes. "This is the real world, Cardoni, and if business called for me to get rid of you, I wouldn't hesitate to do it. I don't get a choice in the matter. _No one_ in my position does. _That's_ why I'm still here, _that's_ why I am who I am." Spot explained, his hand on the tip of the cane that hung through his belt loop. He looked down and studied the gleaming gold on the handle, his voice strong and sure. "Soon Brooklyn might not be safe for you, so I'm telling you the risk you might be taking by staying here. Your safety might be affected because of it."

Riley had no response to his words. Spot looked up from his cane, an ominous stare freezing Riley in her place. "But _if_, one day, you affect the safety of _Brooklyn_," his eyes grew dark, "I'll do what I have to do to get rid of you, Cardoni. No hesitation. No regrets."

Riley swallowed hard, the warm room becoming colder with every breath she took. Was this what she wanted? Was she making the right decision? Spot watched her reaction unmovingly.

He removed his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. "If I wanted people to think of the name 'Spot Conlon' and think safe, happy thoughts," he placed the hat back on his head, "I'd be a priest."

Riley looked off to the side to avoid his gaze, the realization of his words sinking in.

"That's the way it works around here, Cardoni. That's the way Irun it. So welcome to the _re__al_ Brooklyn," Spot said. "This is not the New York City you thought it'd be."

With that, he dismissed her presence and walked towards the door. Riley didn't look back when she heard him leave, the heavy wood door closing harshly behind him.

Riley wrote to her parents. The ink dripped onto the paper as she hesitated in her reply to them. Finally, she continued her writing, reassuring them that she was fine and that they had no need to worry. She added in a few comments about Bonnie so her life appeared normal with her best friend still by her side. Her words held no trace of the cold and expired friendship that had ended as a result of a Brooklyn street king and his dangerous reputation.

Riley had sealed the letter and got it ready to be sent out. The common room was quieter than usual; the absence of Spot and his higher ranking boys making it feel empty and strange. There were plenty of Brooklyn boys left behind, but it was less rowdy than Riley had grown accustomed to. Blush sat at her side, biting at her fingernails and stealing glances at the door. Her brother, Spike, was one of the boys joining Spot on the mission out of Brooklyn.

"Could you _please_ tell me what they're doing?" Riley asked when Blush glanced nervously at the door for the hundredth time. "You're scaring me."

Blush sighed and started picking at the splintering wood of the table they were sitting at. "They're following Conlon's orders. It's always kept a secret, so I don't know exactly what it is they're doing."

Riley saw that there was more to the story, and she was determined to find out more. "What do you _think_ they're doing?"

Blush looked around, contemplating her answer.

"If you don't tell me I'll ask around; there's gotta be someone in here who will tell me what's going on." Riley said, acting like she was about to stand up.

Blush grabbed her arm and pulled her back down. "Are you kidding me? Spot doesn't like them even _talking_ to you. And if he found out you were asking around about his business he'd go crazy - who knows what he'd do!"

"Then tell me!" Riley insisted. "What do you think they're doing?"

Blush sighed in defeat, checking to see if anyone was in earshot. She lowered her voice, moving closer to Riley. "Look, I don't know for sure but... I think they're in Harlem."

Riley jaw dropped slightly, a million questions entering her brain. "Why?! What would they be doing in Harlem?!"

"Shut up, will ya?!" Blush whispered, searching the room for any eyes that may be watching them. "Spot gets pissed when people come into Brooklyn, you know? Like those Harlem guys did yesterday. He doesn't like it when they get comfortable crossing the line into Brooklyn like that. I think he's going after them."

Riley's eyes widened. "He's going to kill them?!" She whispered.

"No, not kill them... Probably close to it though. I think they want to send a message, ya know?"

Riley glanced nervously at the front door, identical to what Blush had been doing all night.

"But... If they hurt someone in Harlem... Won't they retaliate? Won't they come back to get even with Brooklyn?"

Blush rubbed her face, a long sigh escaping her lips.

Riley gasped. "They will, won't they? Oh, _shit_. Blush!"

"I know, I know... That's why I'm nervous."

"Then why is Spot doing this? Why would he attack them if he knows it could get someone from Brooklyn hurt?"

Blush dropped her hands on the table and turned her head to look at Riley. "Because," she explained firmly, "this is Spot. This is Brooklyn. Nobody fucks with him and _nobody_ fucks with this borough. It's just how it is, Riley."

Riley looked down at the letter she had written to her parents. This was why Spot warned her about the danger of Brooklyn. She felt vulnerable with out Spot Conlon by her side, no matter how difficult it was to be around him.

The memory of Bonnie's words from the day Riley first moved to Brooklyn rang in her ears. _"That's Spot Conlon. Stay away from him, Riles. He's bad news around here."_ Riley shuddered at the memory, Bonnie's voice clear in her mind. _"Promise me you'll stay away from him."_

Riley remembered the curiosity that ran through her when she first saw the infamous leader of Brooklyn. The reality of his reputation, the dangers of these streets - it all became so real to her in that moment.

It was enough to make her scared of this ongoing fight with Harlem. Enough to make her scared of the power of Spot Conlon.

And suddenly, for the first time ever, Riley wished she had never broken her promise to Bonnie.

* * *

**Thanks for the reviews! Please let me know what you think!**


	26. Giving In

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Newsies, but I own the others.**

* * *

Jack Kelly, the leader of Manhattan, was hurt.

Spot and his crew got back to Brooklyn close to midnight. Spike and Smalls were helping Jack walk; his arms slung around their shoulders as they brought him into the Lodging House.

Riley had fallen asleep on the couch, but was woken up by the commotion of the group returning. Blush was sitting on the couch at Riley's feet, but once she saw that one of them was injured she roughly pushed Riley's legs off of her so she could stand up.

"Back up, back up." Riley heard Spot's voice echo in the common room. Most of the Brooklyn newsboys had stayed awake to wait for them to return.

Riley opened her sleepy eyes and propped herself up on her elbow. She pushed her hair out of her face and saw Jack limping. Her tired mind was trying to wake up and process what this might have meant.

"Jack?" Riley said groggily, her voice too quiet for anyone to hear. He looked fine, despite being unable to walk on his own. She sat up and pulled herself off the couch so he could have a place to lie down.

"Oh, shit... What happened?" Blush asked once they all made it inside.

"I'm fine," Jack said with a wince as they slowly helped him limp to the couch. "It's just my knee."

"It got twisted or something." Smalls, one of the Brooklyn boys that was helping Jack, said to all of the questioning faces. "He just can't walk too good."

"Your knee? How did you hurt it?" Blush asked as Jack settled on the couch, his leg lying across the cushions. Her voice was wary, as if it were unusual for one of them to get hurt during one of these night missions.

Her brother, Spike, let go of Jack and gave Blush a quick warning glance. "No more questions, Blush. Just drop it." He mumbled to her. Spike then walked over to a nearby table and grabbed a bottle of whiskey.

Blush took the hint and stopped questioning, but a suspicious glare remained on her face. She exchanged a quick look with Riley, then looked away just as fast.

"Here," Spike said, handing the bottle of whiskey to Jack. "Your medicine. The pain will be gone once you take a few shots."

Jack smirked and twisted off the cap, taking a swig of the whiskey.

As Riley's mind became more awake, she remembered the reason why she had fallen asleep in the common room. Still feeling half awake, Riley ripped her eyes away from Jack and scanned the room. She thought she woke up hearing Spot's voice, but she couldn't find him anywhere in the room.

Blush was bringing a few shot glasses over to the couch when she brushed past Riley. "He went into the kitchen," she heard Blush murmur in her ear, low enough so nobody else could hear.

It was amusing how Blush knew that Riley was looking for Spot. She thanked Blush with a tired smirk and walked away from the crowd that was now forming around the couch that she was just asleep on.

Riley couldn't explain her need to see Spot now that he was back at the Lodging House. Was it just so she could make sure he was okay? Was it just so she could feel safe knowing he was back? She wasn't sure, but for some reason she found herself automatically approaching the door to the kitchen, hoping to see him.

Riley peered into the dimly lit room and saw the Brooklyn leader standing in front of a basin full of water, alone, cane in his hands. A glint of red met Riley's eye and she held back a gasp. Spot was washing blood off of the gold tip of his cane.

Spot must have sensed her presence, but he did not turn around. "Not now, Cardoni," he warned, knowing it was her standing in the doorway. The warning in his voice should have made Riley turn back, but she couldn't take her eyes off of the scene in front of her.

She held onto the door frame for support. "What - what did you do?" She breathed, watching him expertly handle the weapon in his hand as he cleared it of his victims blood.

"_Business_," he sarcastically replied, snorting with a half hearted laugh as he wiped his cane dry with a rag.

"The kind of business that involves beating someone with a cane?" Riley asked in disbelief, her voice cracked with the sleep that she was ripped out of by their return. "Who were they?"

"Fuck if I know," Spot replied with a shrug, throwing the rag to the side. "Some dumbass Harlem kids," he turned to face her, "what's it to you?"

Riley held on tighter to the door frame as she spoke. "You said that I'm involved now, whether I like it or not. Jack got hurt out there, Spot, and you are acting like it's nothing..."

Spot pointed the cane at her. "Right, and your job is to just stay here, look pretty, and keep your mouth shut." He took in her sleepy appearance; her wild long hair tousled and her dress wrinkled, one sleeve hanging low on her shoulders. "On second thought, you can 'open your mouth' when I tell you to; in the right situation, obviously." Spot winked. Riley looked at him with disgust; she knew exactly what he was insinuating.

"You're an asshole. That situation would never happen."

Spot tutted her condescendingly, tapping the cane into one of his palms. "Now, now... What do I keep telling you? Girls shouldn't swear, love - it's unattractive."

Riley gritted her teeth. She hated, _hated_, whenever he said that.

Spot must have sensed that she was determined to talk about what happened, and he rolled his eyes. He put his cane on the table next to the lantern, took a few steps forward, and pulled Riley out of the doorway so she was fully in the room. He closed the door halfway so they were out of sight from those peering into the kitchen.

"Do you have a bad memory or something?" Spot asked quietly, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "I talked to you before I left, didn't I? I told you how it was around here - so get used to it, a'right? This is Brooklyn. This is something your innocent little mind is going to see a lot of, kid. I can't nurse you back to health every time you see something that scares you."

Riley took a deep breath and mimicked his stance by crossing her arms. She stared into the corner, lost in thought. It wasn't until Spot stepped closer that she snapped out of her thoughts and noticed the look on his face.

Spot was watching her intently, stormy eyes glinting in the light of the lantern as he looked down at her. He broke the silence in the room after a few tense moments.

"Tell me - are you scared of me, Cardoni?" He asked, voice low and husky.

The question caught Riley off gaurd. She parted her lips, then closed them again.

Spot laughed at her, arms still crossed over his chest. "I ain't no genius, but I'm gonna take your silence as a yes."

Riley couldn't find the right way to respond. Was she scared of Spot? She couldn't think of an answer. She was certainly scared of his lifestyle; his violence, his reputation... His talk from earlier that day had definitely shaken her.

Spot studied her reaction for a moment before speaking. "That's good," he stated, nodding his head. "It's good for you to be scared of me. Don't get too comfortable around me if this shit scares you."

Spot reached for the half opened door, making to leave the kitchen, but Riley caught his arm to stop him.

"Stop acting so full of yourself! I'm not scared of you," she replied, quickly letting go of his strong arm. "But I'd be lying if I said that all this fighting didn't scare me. Waking up to see this," she gestured to the cane that rested on the table; to the gold tip that was just recently washed of the blood that stained it. "I mean, what do you expect from me? This isn't how I grew up! I'm not - I - I'm from _Staten Island_, for Christ's sake! Come on, you can't expect me to act like this isn't a little nerve wracking."

Spot reached to the door beside her, closing it so it was no longer half way opened. It shut with a loud snap, separating them completely from the crowd of people in the common room.

"So, let's get this straight, sweetface" Spot said, his curiosity turning into impatience. "You're not scared of _me_, but you're scared of Brooklyn?" He smirked, shaking his head. "Cardoni, I _am_ Brooklyn."

His words were true, and she knew it. Riley couldn't pinpoint the reason why he was questioning her, but she knew in her heart that it was best to be honest with him.

"I know, but, I don't_ think _I'm scared of you..." Riley said quietly, feeling vulnerable. "I mean... Should I be? Scared of you?"

Spot seemed like he was contemplating the correct response. "Yes," he said after a moments hesitation. "I already know that I scare you. Ever since I first talked to you, and you knew exactly who I was. You had that look in your eyes... It was fear. I know what fear looks like."

Riley couldn't deny that. She was petrified when Spot showed up at the Romano Lounge the night after the murder. The memory flooded into her mind, and she didn't notice Spot moving even closer to her.

"So, did you come in here to welcome me back?" He said with a sly smile, his hand reaching up to her face.

Riley, still thinking about what Spot had said, looked to the side, turning her cheek away from his touch.

Spot sighed loudly with frustration. "Jesus, woman, why do you do that?" He asked, impatience and confusion clear on his face. "I don't get why you stop yourself when you want it so damn bad!"

Riley's eyes shot back up to his face. She blinked a few times, thinking that the light was playing games with her eyes. Spot Conlon, the influential leader of so many people in Brooklyn, had dropped his usually taunting look. His eyes were questioning, like he was peering straight into her soul. Riley was afraid to move or speak; she didn't want to ruin the moment, afraid that he would change back to his tough and cold demeanor.

Spot's face inched closer, the sounds of the packed common room muffled by the closed door.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Riley denied, nervous by his sudden closeness.

"Yeah? So why won't you kiss me, Cardoni?"

Riley's mouth parted again, her jaw dropped with surprise at his question.

Spot narrowed his eyes as he waited for a response, a demanding tone coming to his voice.

"I asked you a question, Riley," he said impatiently. "Answer me."

"I don't think that's any of your business..." Riley responded, trying to buy time, unable to think of a good reason.

"Know what? I think if I _did_ kiss you, you wouldn't want to stop." Spot answered for her, his egotistical voice smooth as silk. He smiled knowingly as Riley uncomfortably shifted her feet. "Yeah, you know I'm right. Is that what you're so _scared_ of?"

Riley couldn't hide her emotions when he was this close. His eyes were reading every thought inside of her; judging her. Spot showed no signs of weakness, just a demanding power that Riley couldn't fight with.

"Fine, I'll answer you - I won't kiss you because you _will_ stop, and it'll all be for nothing." Riley blurted out. "Are you satisfied? Is that what you wanted to hear?" She felt her cheeks reddening. "_Your_ pride will be intact, finally making me give in to you, while I get brushed aside as another foolish girl. Another name on your stupid list."

Spot didn't seem phased by her response. "I don't keep a _list_, sweetheart." he said with a cold laugh, denying nothing else.

Riley scoffed with disgust, "because it's all just a bunch of names you don't care to remember!" The anger was rising in her chest; the tension in the room growing thicker. This was why she had refused to open up to him, and she immediately regretted the hole she just dug herself into.

Spot was growing angry with her attitude; his blue eyes were now a swirl of gray. "I've been a God damn _saint_ with you around here. I've been patient as hell, and _this_ is the thanks you give me?"

Riley ran her fingers roughly through her hair, deciding to cut to the chase. "I know how this works, okay? I know how men like you think - and you're the worst of them, Spot, admit it."

Spot tilted his head to the side in a noncommittal shrug, not really admitting it, but not denying it either.

"Exactly. And I'm not ready for this to be over," Riley continued. "I'm not ready to face the side affects of falling for Spot Conlon like everyone else does... I'm not ready to.. to.." She faltered with her words. "I'm just not ready to hate you yet. It'll ruin everything! This is all I have right now."

Despite the growing tension in the room, the taunting smirk returned to Spot's lips as he listened to her. "So you think it's inevitable that you're going to hate me?" He gave her a lazy but sexy smile that made him look even more confident than usual. "Trust me, sweetheart - you'd enjoy every second. You'd be _begging_ me for more, and maybe, if you're lucky, I'd show you what all the talk is about."

Riley swallowed hard, her heart fluttering at the thought of it. She brushed off his last comment and tried to finish what she wanted to say. "What I mean is that it's inevitable you're used to getting what you want. I can tell that you don't give up... But I'm not as strong as you; fuck, I'm not _anything_ like you! So do me a favor and give up on me, Spot. Don't make me one of those girls you mess with." Riley said, resisting the urge to pleadingly clasp her hands together. "Please, _please_ stop toying with me, okay? There's a lot going on here and I can only handle so much of it."

Spot bit his bottom lip and looked down at his feet. He looked back up at Riley, eyes dark with an unreadable emotion.

"Please?" She pleaded again, lowering her voice to a whisper, all of her pride forgotten.

The space around them was silent as Spot studied her.

"No," Spot finally answered, shaking his head. "I'll treat you how I want to treat you - I have my reasons."

A hopeless feeling ran through Riley's heart. "What reasons?" She asked, exhausted and weak from fighting his advances. "Why are you so determined to break me? These games you play - I hate them! And I'm..I'm done, Spot." Riley let out a tired sigh. "I'll stay away from you from now on, okay? I don't know why I came in here. I'm going to see how Jack is doing..."

Riley turned to open the door, but Spot grabbed onto her wrist with a vice-like grip, his patience completely gone. She looked down at the strong fingers wrapped around her wrist and then up to his furious blue-gray eyes, her breath catching in her throat.

"I'm not done with you," Spot said, gritting his teeth to control his temper.

"God, Spot, what more do you want from me!" Riley asked, her voice breaking as she tried pulling her wrist out of his painful grip. He held on tighter.

The tension between them had suddenly hit its breaking point. She could see the anger rising inside of him.

"What do I _**want**_?" Spot repeated furiously. "Do you know what I think about when I look at you!" He was fuming, breathing heavy through his nostrils. "I think about you with some other guy; you letting_ someone else_ kiss you, making you bite your lip like you do when _I'm_ near you..." Spot trailed off menacingly, his mind somewhere far away. He focused back on Riley, his steely eyes hard and cold, gripping her wrist tighter. "Itpisses me off when I think about it! It makes me want to fucking _break_ something!"

Spot finally let go of her wrist, then clenched his fists so tight that the skin over his knuckles were white.

Riley held her throbbing wrist to her chest, her mind racing with confusion. "I - I don't! There is no other guy!" Riley argued. "I don't know where you come up with these things!"

"I _know_ there's no other guy!" Spot growled. "And there's _never_ gonna be another guy as long as I'm around."

Riley couldn't understand what he meant. She continued holding her wrist tightly to her chest, the bruise already forming. Something must have happened, she thought. He looked livid; like something was eating him up inside. She had no other reaction than to just look at him, her eyes wide.

Her confusion just angered him even more.

"Damn, woman, don't you get it?" Spot complained loudly. "When you walk around this place I gotta watch all my boys stare at you, looking at you like they'd do anything to get you. And I'm their damn their leader!"

"But Spot -"

"No!" He argued, silencing her interruption. "It pisses me off because I want you to be _mine_ first, understand?" His demand was powerful; his rough hand grabbing her chin, stopping her from interrupting any further as he tilted her face upward.

Riley looked up into his wild eyes. His touch caused her intake of breath to be embarrassingly loud.

Spot's jaw was tensed as he watched her. He lowered his voice, "I want to hear you moaning _my_ name when my lips are on you, Cardoni. Why the _fuck_ can't you give that to me?"

Riley's heart pounded in her chest. His bright cerulean eyes were beautiful even when he was angry. She barely understood what he was saying because she was so taken by the beauty of the leader in front of her. It left her speechless, unable to answer.

Spot impatiently let go of her chin. "There ain't a girl in this city who wouldn't want to be in your position."

That was it. The familiar feeling of jealousy had hit Riley's last nerve. All of the stories, all of the girls... It was like a slap in the face. She couldn't remain silent anymore.

"Yes, I _know_ that!" Riley cried out, infuriated, not caring if her voice carried through the door to the common room. "You think I don't know that you're like some sex god to the girls in this city? You think I don't think about it? I hate it! It makes me _sick_ to think about it - so _shut up_, Spot! Just shut up!"

Spot clenched his fists again, trying to control his temper, but Riley couldn't stop. It wasn't fair; it wasn't fair that he made her jealous. She wasn't thinking about the consequences of her words; she was just thinking about the inner torment she felt when thinking about all of his conquests.

"I just - you - !" Riley let out a frustrated yell as she thought about it, stomping her foot childishly on the ground. "This is all just a huge game to you! The girls falling all over you, the fights with Harlem; you act like everything on these streets is some _sick_ fucking game to entertain you!"

A loud, startling crash met Riley's ears, interrupting her rant. Spot had kicked one of the chairs next to him, the force causing it to topple over and fly across the floor, crashing loudly into the wall. "A _game_? _**A game**_? Dammit, Riley, do you have _any_ idea what's happening around here?" He roared.

She was never given a moment to respond. The pent up anger inside of Spot seemed to roll off his body, hitting her like a brick wall with every word he screamed.

"All this shit between Harlem and Brooklyn - this war - it's on_ my_ hands!" He picked up a cup and whipped it across the room, his voice so loud that it rang in her ears, "I'm Spot _fucking_ Conlon! Brooklyn is on _my_ shoulders right now! And YOU? _Fuck_, Riley - _you_-" Spot ripped the hat off his head, one of his hands gripping onto his hair, causing the sun streaked strands to stand on end through his fingers, "I can't _focus_ because of _**you**_!"

The desperate look in Spot's eyes was enough to shock her. Spot let go of his hair; his fingers leaving it wild, strands pointing in every direction.

"Yeah, that's right -- you!" He yelled, a tortured look scrunching his eyebrows together. "You're _always_ around - always there, making me lose focus. I - I can't think straight when _you're_ on my fucking mind! This war is at risk because of you!"

Riley stood still, afraid to move, afraid that Spot Conlon had lost all control of himself. She couldn't imagine what had happened in Harlem that could've made him react this way. She winced as his raised voice echoed off the walls of the small room; her eyes wide with shock as she processed the meaning of his words. But she remained silent as he continued, tension still rising.

"How the fuck am I supposed to control that, huh?" He snapped, his eyes flicking back and forth from Riley. "Like yesterday, when I found out that those _fucking bastards_ from Harlem knew about you, knew your name, knew that you were living here..." Spot broke off the rest of his sentence, taking deep breaths through his tensed up jaw.

"So you hurt them?" Riley asked tentatively, holding onto the counter beside her to support her weight. Her knees were unsteady, his penetrating stare overpowering her as he focused on her again.

Spot took a step closer, practically cornering her against the wall; his eyes narrowed.

"You _really_ wanna know what happened tonight?" Spot warned, his voice deep and threatening. "That's why you came in here, right? You really want to know?"

Riley found this quieter voice even more frightening; she preferred him yelling compared to the low growl he was speaking with now.

Spot never broke his gaze from her eyes. "We beat those kids within an inch of their worthless lives," he said. "Then Jack got ambushed when we were leaving. And what was _I_ doing? You really wanna fucking know?"

Riley wasn't sure if she wanted him to go any further, but she didn't have a choice...

"I didn't see them coming because _my_ mind was in Brooklyn, too fucking busy wondering whether or not you were following my God damn orders and staying in the Lodging House like I told you," Spot revealed. "_That's_ what happened. I wasn't paying attention! I was thinking about little miss Riley Cardoni, back home in Brooklyn. I fucked up, and it cost me! So don't you dare say that this is a_ game_ to me!"

It was silent while Spot stared into her eyes, waiting for her to say something. She felt uncomfortable under his gaze as she opened her mouth to speak.

"Spot, I don't -" Riley stuttered, her head spinning from this new turn of events. "I didn't know.."

Spot tugged the hat back onto his head, moving his eyes away from her face. His cheeks were flustered with the anger he just unleashed, but his voice seemed to calm down. "Now you know. The truth is I really don't know what to do with you..." He muttered, not meeting her eyes as he spoke.

Riley felt her body shaking, but swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat. Very carefully, she lifted her hand to his face. Her fingers were hesitant as she slowly placed them on his cheek, feeling his hot skin under her fingertips. Her touch caused his eyes to stop wandering around the room as he looked at her again.

"Am I.." Riley began, hesitating with her words. Miraculously, she found herself smiling at him teasingly. "Am I really on the back of your mind all the time?"

Spot stared at her, one eyebrow raised. Riley took his silence as a yes. She knew that she'd never be able to get him to admit it again, but she didn't need him to. He had already admitted it, whether it was an accident or not.

"Well.." Riley continued. She bit her lip nervously before meeting his eyes again. "Well.. What do you think about, exactly?" She whispered, letting her hand fall from his face.

Spot let out a long sigh. She didn't pull away when he lightly touched her bottom lip with his thumb; the sensitive skin of her lips tingling under the rough skin of his fingertips.

"Sometimes I think about sending you home," he said, his words cruel, but his touch gentle as he traced his thumb from her bottom lip to her cheek. "Sometimes I think about how impossible you are to deal with..."

Riley couldn't find the strength to argue with him. She felt a million different emotions inside of her as he touched her face.

Spot pondered his next words as he moved his whole hand below her jaw so he could cup her face. His eyes were now a sparkling blue that had captivated her. He glanced down to her mouth, licked his lips, and spoke more quietly. "And sometimes I think about..."

Riley didn't even hear him finish his sentence before she felt his lips on hers.

It was a feeling that Riley couldn't even explain. His kiss became more intense when he noticed that she wasn't going to push him away. Her heart raced with an ache that she didn't even know existed until she felt what it had been wanting for so long now.

Spot groaned lightly, his kisses urgent with want and his hands holding her face possessively. His experienced lips made the world spin around her, but he didn't stop. His smooth lips, his soft tongue, all of it made her feel like she had lost control. Her body became addicted to the way he made her feel.

Riley pulled his face closer, wanting more as she knocked the hat off of his head, feeling his hair between her fingers.

She couldn't believe it. Spot Conlon, king of the territory they were standing on, was kissing her. The cold way he usually held himself had vanished as he kissed her with unrestrained passion.

Riley couldn't catch her breath. She whimpered quietly when he broke the kiss and then brushed his lips teasingly against hers again, the corner of his lips tugged up in a small smirk when she impatiently pulled his lips to hers again.

The world had stopped existing at that moment. Nobody else mattered. The cruel streets of Brooklyn were gone. The only thing she could think about was how good Spot felt against her.

Riley's head was spinning as his hands held her hips against the wall, pinning her back against the wood. She put her hands to his chest, grabbing both of his suspenders. Spot pressed his whole body against hers, fingers now laced up in her hair as he took control. He had her on the tips of her toes, her head slightly hung back because of the height he had on her.

Spot forced her to tilt her head back even further as he pulled down on her long hair with gentle control.

"Still scared of me, Cardoni?" Spot murmured, his breath hot on her neck as his urgent lips trailed to her collarbone. He found all of the spots that made her whole body tingle. Riley gasped as he sucked gently on the skin below her earlobe; his expert kisses making her close her eyes as she ran her fingers through his hair, stopping midway to grab hold.

Spot took his time slowly moving his lips across her neck, enjoying her every reaction, proving how experienced he really was. Riley parted her lips, and without realizing it, whispered his name in a quiet moan. It escaped from her mouth without her consent, and she bit her lip to prevent it from happening again.

But the damage was done. Spot's lips formed into a smile once he heard her moan his name. "That's it, doll." He urged her with a whisper, his breath tickling her ear. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear."

He let go of her then; his sparkling blue eyes looking at her.

Riley was still against the wall, her breathing unsteady and lips still tingling.

"So _that's_ what I think about." Spot answered, the ghost of a smile still on his face. He grabbed his cane, opened the door, and walked out into the common room. The brighter light from the common room flooded through the doorway, but Riley still found it hard to move from her place against the wall.

She couldn't decide if she should smile or frown; laugh or cry. What the hell just happened?

It took a long time before Riley was able to recover, but she didn't leave the kitchen. She was afraid to face the real world again. She was still reeling from Spot's lips.

It wasn't until a little later, when everyone was in bed, that Jack came to see her. He was staying the night in Brooklyn, sleeping on the common room couch. He limped to the kitchen.

"Riley..? I know you're in there."

Jack looked into the room and saw her sitting on the floor, back still against the wall. Her knees were folded to her chest, tears glistening on her cheeks.

"I don't know how to feel, Jack." Riley whispered, staring into the depths of the kitchen, not looking at him. She knew that she didn't have to explain herself any further. Jack must have known, right? He was probably used to the girls who were captivated by the Brooklyn leader.

Riley chanced a glance at him standing in the doorway. The light of the lantern showed the wet streaks on her cheeks more clearly. She tried to smile sadly but the muscles on her face wouldn't work. She shrugged her shoulders hopelessly and wiped her wet cheeks.

Jack sighed as he sat down beside her.

"Everyone's asleep, you know," he said quietly. "You can come out."

Riley reached to the back of her neck and bit her bottom lip, too lost in thought to answer him.

She had kissed _Spot Conlon_. It was the most amazing thing she had ever felt... But what now? Why did he leave without talking to her about it? What did it all mean?

His eyes were haunting her thoughts. She couldn't explain how she felt. All Riley could think about was all of the hearts that had fallen victim to his kiss, and how Spot was infamous for breaking them.

Riley didn't want to fall for Spot. She didn't want to deal with the side affects.

She let another confused tear glide down her cheek as she sat beside Jack well into the night. Neither of them spoke about it, but it felt better having Jack by her side.

Riley Cardoni had given in to the King of Brooklyn... and it scared the shit out of her.

* * *

**I wrote this whole chapter and then it got deleted! I shook my computer, I cried a little (I know, I know), and I was really upset. This was an important chapter and I loved what I wrote, but it all disappeared! I tried rewriting it but I'm really unsure about the rewritten version. Was it okay? PLEASE give me some feedback – I really don't want to lose any of my readers! Please review and let me know what you think – your honesty means a lot to me! I finished my other Newsies story and I'm finally getting into the 'love story' on this one, so I hope it's coming along okay.**

**Thank you so much for the support!**


	27. Jenkin

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Newsies, but I own the others.**

**A/N – A very long chapter for my readers who are so very patient with me! I kept writing and writing because I wanted to say 'thank you' for the awesome reviews!**

* * *

Riley woke up on her old cot in the storage room. She vaguely remembered how she got there; how Jack had stayed by her side late that night in the kitchen after Spot had kissed her, and how Jack's head kept dropping to her shoulder as he dozed off, struggling to stay awake.

He had been kind enough to make sure Riley wasn't alone while she cried.

Then she had helped the injured Jack walk back to the couch and finally crept upstairs to her room. She could've even been sleep walking at that point because she was so exhausted. Her mind had been in a state of shock due to the conflicting emotions Spot had made her feel by kissing her.

But the sun was high in the sky now as she sleepily peered out of her window. The Brooklyn newsboys, including Spot, must've been finishing up selling the morning edition. She could hear their loud voices on the dock across the street.

It was hot outside, and her room was uncomfortably stuffy. She changed out of her dress from the night before (she barely remembered falling asleep in it) and splashed cold water on her face and neck in the wash room. Her hair was a mess, so she put her whole head under the water pump. The shock of the cold water woke her up instantly, but her mind still felt like it was in a haze.

What was she going to do now? She wanted to be at the docks so she could feel relief from the cool breeze coming off of the water, but Spot would definitely be there. How was he going to act towards her after last night?

Riley felt extra sensitive today, and extra vulnerable to the Brooklyn leader's unpredictable moods. She was scared of the way Spot would treat her now. She had finally surrendered to her feelings last night, and it had been incredible, but Spot was used to kissing girls like Riley. These feelings that she felt for Spot were not unusual in this city; it seemed like every girl in Brooklyn had experienced the charm of Spot Conlon. The thought made her feel sick. Jealousy can make even the strongest person feel apprehensive.

The unsettling feeling in her stomach lingered as she walked down the stairs from the third floor. Nobody wanted to be inside on such a warm day, so Riley walked through the common room without seeing a single person. Not even Jack. Maybe he was able to get back to Manhattan, or maybe they brought him to Bonnie's apartment.

Riley pondered the thought as she stepped outside and felt the hot sun on her cheeks. If only she had Bonnie to turn to... Bonnie would know what to do. But Bonnie wanted nothing to do with Riley, all because of Spot Conlon.

Putting her hand over her eyes to shield the sun, Riley looked to the loud and crowded dock across the street. She recognized the tough Brooklyn crew scattered around the docks as she studied them from afar. Spot would be beyond the nets and crates that blocked her vision... She could practically feel his presence from across the street.

"_Don't_ make a big deal out of this," Riley muttered to herself, her lips barely moving as she spoke. "Last night was nothing - _stop thinking about it_." She took a deep breath and fixed her posture, trying to stand tall and strong as she spoke nonsense to herself. "Just relax, Riley. Don't be ridiculous. You're better than this."

Her whispered encouragement was enough to motivate Riley to confront her fear of facing Spot again. She knew that it was better to get it over with. Avoiding Spot right now would only be delaying the inevitable, and her nerves wouldn't have been able to handle the wait if she tried staying away from him.

Riley brushed her wet hair behind her shoulders, took one more deep breath to calm her nerves, and then finally began walking. She felt her heart beat with the aching anticipation of seeing him as she approached the pier.

Many heads turned her way to look at her as her footsteps fell on the wood of the noisy dock. Instead of avoiding their eyes, like she had trained herself to do, Riley glanced at their expressions. A sudden revelation came to her as she watched the boys that were scattered around her.

While most of them looked away with indifference, a few of them were looking at her just like Spot said they did. They were looking at her like she was forbidden fruit; like they were wolves and she was the innocent prey that they couldn't attack.

While most girls would blush and be flattered by those gazes, Riley didn't feel that way. She felt nervous by the looks a few of them exchanged with each other; some of them following her every move out of the corners of their eyes.

As Riley surveyed the people around her, another moment from last night came to her mind...

The voice of the Brooklyn leader echoed in her memory as she recalled one of the things he had told her before he kissed her. "_Damn, woman, don't you get it_?" Spot had yelled at her. Riley could remember the anger in his eyes. "_When you walk around this place I gotta watch all my boys stare at you, looking at you like they'd do anything to get you!_"

Riley suddenly understood why she felt nervous. It was dangerous for any of these Brooklyn boys to want to look at her. Why would they risk being victim to Spot's rage? Riley couldn't begin to comprehend why Spot was so possessive of her, but she definitely knew that he disciplined any of his boys who tried crossing that boundary.

But aside from the select few who openly stared at her with immature lust, there were some boys who had looks of utter resentment in their eyes; resentful that they had to deal with her at all.

Riley didn't know which reaction she liked better. Was it better for them to want her, or better for them to hate her? She wished all of them would emulate the majority of Spot's boys and act like she didn't even exist at all; it would've made her feel so much better.

The dock was loud and crowded, and Riley was so caught up in the memory of Spot's voice, and so busy watching the boys around her, that she forgot to look for the person who had caused all of this. Then suddenly she heard a familiar voice from the far end of the dock, and her steps stopped abruptly. All of Riley's thoughts were interrupted by a spasm of nerves that felt like ferocious butterflies in her stomach.

She looked further down the dock and saw _him_, Spot Conlon, in all his glory, sitting on a crate that was drenched in hot sunlight. His worn out shirt was halfway unbuttoned down his chest, and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. His posture was relaxed and confident as he lounged on the crate; one of his legs dangling off the side, the other leg propped up in front of him, his forearm resting on the bent knee that was brought to his chest.

The sun felt even hotter on Riley's cheeks when she noticed him. Even from far away she could feel his overwhelming influence. Anybody who stepped foot on this dock would be automatically drawn to him. He projected such eminence that Riley couldn't help feeling that Brooklyn was a realm owned by Spot Conlon, and she was just another ordinary person mesmerized by the power he had as just a mere street boy.

But with the sunlight gleaming over his tan skin, and the confidence that was undeniably radiating off of him, Riley knew that he was not known as a mere 'street boy' in this city. He _was_ Brooklyn, and his reputation had proven to be true during Riley's stay here.

All of these thoughts were running through her mind as she looked at him. He was a good distance away from her, surrounded by some his usual followers and higher ranking boys. He sat on a crate beside Spike, his second-in-command. A few other seats around him were also occupied, and they were all talking and laughing loudly with a couple of boys who had jumped in the water to cool off.

Riley could see his arrogant eyes sparkling a hue of blue and green in the sunlight, partially shielded under the newsboy hat that sat haphazardly crooked on his head. She stood frozen, watching as he said something else in the voice that had caught her attention seconds ago. She couldn't decipher his words from her distance, but both Spot and Spike were chuckling again, neither of them bothering to look down the docks to notice her arrival.

The sound of a distant splash shook Riley back to her senses. One of the boys from the group around Spot had jumped into the water, and she was thankful for the interruption. She didn't want Spot to see her staring at him, even though it was obvious that he wasn't looking for her like she was looking for him.

There were some vacant crates about ten feet away from her, further down the dock, so Riley made that her destination as she started walking again. So many Brooklynites were scattered around her, so she kept her head down, almost regretting coming here. Why did she feel so uncomfortable? Of course it'd be crowded here, and hadn't she been complaining recently about being alone all the time? Spot never wanted her out of the Lodging House, so she usually liked coming down to the docks when she could.

Despite her attempts to keep focused, memories from last night flew into Riley's mind before she could stop them. She involuntarily touched her lips as the feeling of Spot's kiss invaded her memory. The memory of his rough hands gently touching her face, tangling in her hair, running along her shoulders... He was so confident in himself, and she had lost all her reasoning last night.

Riley slowed down her steps, afraid of getting any closer to where Spot was sitting, even though he was near the very end of the dock. Spot would have loved it if he looked over and saw Riley walking in his direction, automatically assuming that she was trying to be close to him. She could imagine the taunting look that would glint in his eyes, and she rolled her own eyes at the thought.

Riley was suddenly too overwhelmed with the thought of catching Spot's attention right now, so she reluctantly weaved through another group of newsboys and off to the side, next to an old fishing net that was hanging on a few wooden poles.

Riley nervously twisted her long, wet hair and set it over one of her shoulders as she leaned up against one of the poles. Thinking about last night had been a bad idea. It was absurd how much she enjoyed being with him, alone and shut away from the city that knew him so well.

Where was Blush? Where was Spin? Those were the only two people Spot had _allowed_ her to be friends with; a newsgirl and a little kid. She craned her neck to see over the groups of boys around her, hoping to catch a glimpse of her only friends.

Riley's mood lifted dramatically when she saw a familiar face weaving through the legs of newsboys crowding the docks. Spin, 9 years old, reached Riley and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "It is soo hot!" He exclaimed as he got closer to her.

"Spin, you're here! Oh, thank god." Riley leaned down and pulled him into a tight hug.

When she released him, Spin straightened his crooked hat and stared up at her, his eyes wide. "Wow, I've never gotten that reaction from anybody before!"

"I'm just _so_ glad you're here." Riley smiled, feeling less lonely now that she had someone to talk to, and happy to be distracted from thinking about Spot.

"A'right, then I'll show up more often." Spin replied, giving her an adorable toothy grin that earned him another hug from Riley.

"Sorry kiddo," Riley said with a laugh as she let him go again. "I'm having a weird day, I'm just a little emotional, I guess."

"It's fine by me," Spin said, fixing his hat again as he warily looked over his shoulder. "Just don't let my girlfriend see it. She'd get _so_ jealous if she found out I had an _older girl_ all over me!"

Riley laughed, and her stiff shoulders relaxed as the nervous tension that had been building up melted away. It felt good to laugh right now. "A girlfriend? Seriously?"

Spin innocently raised his eyebrows. "Well, yeah! I'm 9! The guys said that I should start now, or I'll be _inexperienced_. Oh, and she's a year older than me, too," he said proudly.

"Wait, they said you'd be inexperienced?" Riley asked, and her jaw dropped with disbelief. "I hope you mean inexperienced with girlfriends and not with something _else_, Spin!"

Spin looked at her with confusion, so Riley took that as a good sign. It wouldn't have surprised her if the Brooklyn crew made sexual references around him, forgetting Spin's young age and all, but thankfully it seemed like that wasn't the case.

"So the 'guys' told you this, huh?" Riley questioned, crossing her arms. "Well, it figures; look at who your leader is." She mumbled, shaking her head. "Idolizing Spot Conlon... God help us all."

Spin shrugged his shoulders, his attention drifting elsewhere as a few more Brooklynites jumped into the water. Riley just began telling him that he'd better be nice to his girlfriend or else, but something interrupted her. Riley heard Spot's voice echo down the docks again, still positioned on the same crate he was on moments ago. He was yelling something to one of the boys in the water, still not noticing Riley so far away from him, but the distraction that Spin had given her had disappeared once she heard Spot's voice again.

Riley couldn't help feeling nervous as she looked at him. Spot was a magnet that her whole body was drawn to, and she couldn't ignore it. It was a struggle to look away and focus on the things around her.

Unable to stand the nervous jolts in her stomach much longer, Riley made a decision. She turned back to Spin and knelt down so that she was eye level with the boy.

"Spin; can you do me a favor?"

"Yeah, what is it?" Spin asked distractedly.

Riley looked Spin in the eye, trying to get his full attention. "This is important. Do you think you could find Blush for me?"

Spin looked at Riley's face for a moment, seeing the desperation in her eyes, and then nodded his head. "Yeah, I saw her earlier. She would usually be down here because, well, the afternoon edition starts in a little while, you know? So she usually stays close to the distribution center like everyone else, so..."

"So you think she's around..?" Riley finished his sentence, her voice hopeful.

"Yeah, I'll go get her." Spin replied, that adorable smile returning to his face. "My girlfriend can come with me! She'll be jealous if I'm spending more time with you than with her anyway."

Riley laughed quietly as she stood up straight again, rolling her eyes at the innocent drama someone as young as Spin had to deal with.

"Thanks Spin. You're my favorite newsboy, you know that, right?"

Spin's cheeks turned red as he shrugged his shoulders. He turned around and rushed off the dock, stopping to talk to a small girl before he left.

_Great,_ Riley thought. _I'm losing one of my only friends to a 10-year-old girl._

Riley had been too busy talking to Spin, and worrying about Spot, that when she looked up she was surprised to see three Brooklyn newsies standing around a crate by the docks edge, very close to where she stood. They were smoking cigarettes and talking amongst themselves. She recognized them, of course. They were average Brooklynites, with their tough demeanors and huge muscles bulging down their arms. Riley couldn't place each of them with a name, but she was almost positive that the one closest to her was named Red.

Riley averted her eyes and looked away from the newsboys, once again leaning on the pole behind her. She just wanted Blush to be here. She needed someone to talk to, and Blush was the only person she had. Spin would bring Blush to the docks once he found her, so Riley reluctantly stayed put, even though she felt awkward being on the dock now.

Then, despite the hot afternoon sunlight beating down on Brooklyn, an unexpected chill went down Riley's spine. She immediately bit her lip as her intuition began working in overdrive. She could see, out of the corner of her eye, that Spot had finally noticed her arrival on the docks. She could feel his eyes looking in her direction. He had stopped his conversation with Spike, and she knew that Spike had glanced over to her as well.

Riley felt strangely uncomfortable under his gaze. She didn't want to meet his stare, but it was impossible to fight it. She chanced a quick glance in Spot's direction, but something wasn't right... His eyes were on guard, but he wasn't looking straight at Riley. He was looking in her direction but... What the hell was he looking at? She scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion and tried to find what Spot could possibly be seeing.

Turning her head away from Spot, Riley tried to follow the direction of his glare.

What she saw had startled her for a moment as she was taken off guard, finally realizing what Spot was looking at.

One of the three newsboys that were sitting nearby was staring intently at her. It was Red, the only one whose name she remembered.

Now Riley understood why she was feeling so uncomfortable. It wasn't Spot's stare that made her feel that way; it was the way that _Red_ was looking at her. He had a lit cigarette in his hand and was blowing smoke out of the corner of his mouth as his eyes raked down Riley's pale blue dress, then back up to her face. She suddenly wished that all of her dresses were baggy and unattractive instead of scooped down to reveal her collarbone and held tight around the waist.

Riley saw movement in her peripheral vision, and her eyes shot over to where Spot was sitting. Her pulse quickened when she saw that Spot had stood up, his eyes narrowed and a cigarette dangling from his lips as he watched Red. Spike had seen what Spot was targeting and he shook his head, knowing what was to come.

Riley also knew what was coming. Spot had a history of disciplining those who disobeyed his orders, and Red was openly smirking at Riley now. The idiot didn't think that his leader was watching him stare so suggestively at her.

And even though Riley felt uncomfortable under Red's gaze, she suddenly felt angry. What the hell was Red doing? Did he think it was okay to just look at her like she was a toy? Did he think it was acceptable to act like an arrogant pig, especially while Spot was so close by? Did he think she _liked_ being looked at like that?

Riley clenched her fists. Spot was going to make a scene and she was guaranteed to feel guilty about it. She didn't need another reason for the Brooklyn newsies to resent her. Besides, there were too many mixed emotions running through her today, and she didn't have the energy to worry about _this_ too.

Before Spot could act, Riley pushed herself away from the pole she was leaning on and took a few steps towards Red. He had a Spot-like look in his eyes. Most of the Brooklyn boys were womanizers, although none of them were as bad as Spot. But Red looked at her like he knew that Riley must be interested in him, just like most girls would gawk at any of these guys.

Already feeling resentful about the _other girls_ who must've flocked around these docks, Riley decided to cut to the chase. "Why are you staring at me?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked up at him.

Red looked at the other two newsies next to him and laughed. The other two were not laughing with him; they had noticed Spot's glare from further down the dock and quickly averted their eyes. Red, on the other hand, did not see him.

"Sorry, is it _impolite_ to stare? Aren't you used to it by now?" He teased, taking another drag of his cigarette and flicking the ash so it scattered by his feet.

Then everything started happening too fast. Riley looked over at Spot when she saw him step around the crate at his side, one of his hands moving down to his cane. The cold and determined glare on his face had the newsies around him rushing to get out of the way as he advanced in the direction of where Riley stood.

A small panic rose in her chest. Spot was going to beat Red senseless for daring to stare and even talk to her. Riley really didn't want to see Spot in action again, even if Red _was_ being an asshole.

The truth was that Spot Conlon was **terrifying** when he got violent, and Riley had witnessed it all too often.

The scene was still unfolding far too fast for her to comprehend. Spot had made it halfway towards them when Riley did something she never thought she'd have the guts to do. She _needed_ Red out of the danger zone, so she had to prevent Spot's rage the only way she could. Without fully thinking about what she was doing, Riley threw out her arms, palms facing out, and used all the strength she could to push Red right off of the dock and into the harbor.

Riley's mouth was wide open with astonishment before Red even reached the water. She remained frozen in her position, her arms still pathetically held up in front of her as the splash sounded in her ears. The two newsies beside her burst into laughter as the splash reached the edge of the dock.

This was **not** how she expected her first encounter with Spot to turn out.

Red's head broke the surface after his plunged into the depths, coughing and spitting out water. Riley heard the roar of laughter pick up around her, but the adrenaline from her sudden action was still running through her body.

Riley unfroze from her position and looked down at her hands. "Oh shit," Riley whispered. _Pushing him off the dock?_ Riley thought in panic. _That__ was the best I could come up with?_ She clasped her hands together behind her back, as if she could hide the evidence, and stepped away from the edge.

Her eyes were still wide with shock at what she just did to one of the Brooklyn newsies when she heard Blush run up to her.

"That my girl!" Blush congratulated her enthusiastically, laughing as she patted Riley's back and peered down into the water.

"Blush!" Riley said, her voice more shrill than usual.

"Is this why Spin said you were looking for me?" Blush asked jokingly, still laughing as her eyes suddenly glanced to something over Riley's shoulder.

Riley opened her mouth to answer Blush's question, but turned around instead to see what Blush was looking at.

During all of the turmoil Riley had forgotten that Spot had been marching over to her before she pushed Red into the water.

She noticed that Spot had stopped a few feet away from where Riley was standing. His dangerous glare had disappeared, and now his arms were crossed lazily over his chest, and an impressed smirk graced his lips as his bright eyes surveyed Riley.

God, he was gorgeous. Her heartbeat sped up to a dangerous level as they looked at each other. Riley waited desperately to hear him speak.

Spot just chuckled under his breath. "Just answer this for me..." he began, the smirk still playing on the corner of his lips. "Did you push Red in the water 'cause he pissed you off? ...or did you do it to stop _me_ from getting to him first?"

Riley realized her mouth was still slightly open, so she tried composing herself by pressing her lips back together as she glanced down at Red, who was silent as he began swimming to the closest ladder attached to the dock. She looked back up at Spot and thought about her answer... "I think both," Riley replied uncertainly.

She knew that Red wouldn't hold some ridiculous grudge against her, but Riley couldn't help feeling bad. Besides, this wasn't the way she wanted to catch Spot's attention. Now she was stuck looking into his eyes while several dozen other Brooklyn newsboys stared at her.

Thank goodness for Blush. She stood behind Riley and put her hand on her shoulder, addressing the Brooklyn leader. "Hey Spot, you think I can steal her for a few? Didn't Jack say that the money her parents sent showed up at the apartment when the boys brought him there this morning?"

Spot must have been in a good mood. With his eyes never leaving Riley's face he took a moment to consider it before he answered Blush. "Fine, I'll let you this time, but be quick," he finally responded. "I want you back here by the time the next edition is out. _Just_ to the apartment and back," - his eyes finally left Riley's as he glanced over her shoulder to Blush - "Got it?"

Blush smiled. "Got it, boss." She said dramatically, then with her hand still on Riley's shoulder she turned her around and pulled her away from the scene of the crime.

Riley looked back over her shoulder as they began walking. Spot was no longer looking at them; his attention was now on Red, who was climbing up a ladder just a few feet away from where Spot stood. Red was on the last few rungs of the ladder when he looked up and saw Spot standing over him.

Tripping every now and then as Blush pulled her over the uneven wood of the dock, Riley kept her head turned as she watched Spot lift his foot and place the sole of his brown shoe on Red's forehead. The impressed smile he had given Riley was gone; replaced with a cold stare that reminded everyone around why Spot was the leader of such a tough territory like Brooklyn.

Spot glared at him, then with one swift move of his leg he roughly pushed Red's head back, making him fall off the ladder and back into the water. The splash echoed over the water, even though the crowded dock was loud moments before. Everybody was now watching the entertainment.

Spot held onto the hand rails of the ladder and stared down into the dirty water as Red broke the surface.

"Stay down there for a while," Spot ordered him with a fierce growl. "You don't want to be _anywhere_ near me right now, Red. Trust me - _stay down_."

"Come on," Blush whispered with a laugh in Riley's ear, tugging her arm harder as they walked away from the newsboys.

* * *

Riley didn't see her ex best friend, Bonnie, when they went to the apartment. She had stayed in her room while Jack handed Riley the money that her parents sent for her. There was an apologetic grimace on his face that told her he was sorry for Bonnie's continued resentment, and also sorry for what Riley had been feeling the night before in the kitchen of the Lodging House. She was thankful that he did not discuss it with her; it was a sore subject for Riley, and something that he was not going to discuss with Bonnie. Her ex best friend would think even worse of her if she found out.

Blush was filled in on the details about the kiss on their way to the apartment. She wasn't all that surprised that they had kissed - in fact, she seemed shocked that it hadn't happened sooner. Spot Conlon got anything he wanted, including any _girl_ that he wanted. It still hurt Riley's stomach to think about that.

So after they picked up the money, the two girls walked down the stairs of the apartment and out the door.

"Jack will be fine," Blush said, talking about Jack's injured knee once they stepped outside. "He'll be back in Manhattan in a day or two. Your friend will take care of him until then."

Riley snorted with an ironic laugh. "Yeah, my _friend_. Sure."

Blush had asked Jack for the time before they left, and they were cutting it close if they wanted to be back at the distribution center in time for Blush to sell the afternoon edition.

A nostalgic feeling filled Riley's heart as she leaned against the railing of the stairs in front of Bonnie's apartment. It felt like it had been a lifetime ago when she had sat on these same stairs with Bonnie, watching the people pass and eating the fruit she would buy from the vendor down the street. Life had been so much easier back then... Nobody realizes how great things are until everything changes. And things had definitely changed in Riley's life since then.

"Tell you what, how about I _give_ you the money that you would've made selling the afternoon papers," Riley suggested. "That way we don't have to run back to the Lodging House, and I can buy us some fruit for lunch. We won't be long. Please?"

Blush had argued with her for a few minutes before finally giving in. Riley had plenty of money, thanks to her wealthy parents, and it was obvious that she had needed something to cheer her up.

Taking a short detour, they walked to the fruit stand down the street before they would have to start making their way back to the docks.

Riley bought them her favorite fruits from the vendor, and they were just sitting down on a nearby stoop when Blush dropped her half pealed orange on the dirt street.

"Oh, no! No! _What_ is he doing here?" Blush exclaimed, bolting up into a standing position.

"What? Who? What's going on?" Riley shot off questions as she looked around the street, sensing the urgency in Blush's voice.

Blush grabbed Riley's arm, causing most of the fruit to fall on the street as she pulled her into the shadows of an alley.

"There!" Blush said quietly, pointing out three boys who stood just up the street. One of them was quite young, but the other two were older. They looked hardened and tough, deep in conversation as they scanned the streets around them. "That guy, one of the older ones in the red shirt, that's **Jenkin**, the _Harlem leader_! What the _fuck_ is he doing in Brooklyn? Spot is going to be so pissed - this is bad!"

"That's him?"

A horrible feeling went through Riley's chest. Jenkin looked like somebody you'd stay away from if you were walking by him on the streets. He was _really_ good looking, that was for sure, with his hazel eyes and dark brown hair, but there was something very _wrong_ about him… See, Spot had the ability to look dangerous and intimidating, but you couldn't help but stare at him. Jenkin, on the other hand, was the type of person that you didn't want to look at. He didn't have the same aura of important that Spot did.

"There's something I really don't like about him…" Riley tried searching for the right words. "He looks like he's, I don't know, up to something... or something... you know what I mean?"

Her observation made her sound like an idiot, but Blush agreed with her.

"I know _exactly_ what you mean. He's a damn moron, and he's power hungry, but he isn't even on the same level as Conlon." Blush said, careful not to be seen by the Harlem boys. "Ugh! I wish we could just _hear_ what they were saying! They're only here because they know Spot and his crew are back at the docks waiting for the next edition!"

"Who is the little one?" Riley asked, her gaze turning to the small boy who stood with them. Jenkin and the other larger newsboy were empty handed, but the younger boy had a small stack of papers in his hand. The boy looked like he was about Spin's age.

"That's gotta be his nephew," Blush suggested, squinting her eyes to see him better. "I was going for a walk with Blink once," (Kid Blink was her boyfriend; Riley almost forgot about that) "it was a long time ago, and we saw Jenkin's nephew, but he was just a tiny little thing… He's gotten so big since then. Shit, Jenkin is a _fool_ for bringing him here."

"He's still selling his morning newspapers..." Riley mumbled about the little boy. What if she went up to buy one? They wouldn't know that _she_ was the girl that was staying at the Brooklyn Lodging House, and maybe she'd be able to catch some of what the other two were saying...

"I'm _such_ an idiot." Blush continued scolding herself, not noticing Riley new look of determination. "I should've brought you **straight** back to the docks. Conlon is going to kill me - Hey! _What are you doing?_" Blush shrieked, yanking Riley back into the alley to stop her when she began walking out. "Are you _crazy_? Don't go up to them - back up, back up!" Blush pulled Riley back against the wall, out of view from the Harlem boys.

"I'm buying a newspaper from his nephew! Maybe I can hear what they're saying, and they don't know me. So stay here, shut up, and let me do it." Riley ordered, reminding herself of how Spot usually spoke.

Blush looked at her with her eyes wide. Then, with a new kind of respect, Blush let go of Riley's arm and let her leave the alley. She walked over to the younger boy that stood about ten feet away from the Harlem leader, coins in her hands.

She handed the boy money for a paper, focusing on the transaction, while she overheard the conversation between the other two Harlem boys nearby... The boy who was not the leader was speaking.

"...he thinks he can walk into our territory, beat the shit out of our guys, and not pay the consequences? Cutting through Brooklyn was a shitty idea, boss. We should have more guys with us. But it's pathetic that we gotta be nervous about crossing into Conlon's territory, you know?"

The Harlem leader dangerously searched the streets, looking deep in thought without giving a reply to his newsie. He let his nephew sell his last few papers, but Jenkin seemed to be on the lookout for any Brooklynites that may see them as they passed through.

The newsboy beside him continued his rant, now talking about Spot specifically. "... It makes us look bad, and I'm sick of him walking around like he's some King."

Finally, Jenkin decided to speak. "So long as he's alive and walking, he _is_ King," Jenkin said. His voice was deep and raspy, like he was permanently suffering from laryngitis. "It's our job to change that."

Riley absentmindedly nodded her thanks to the young boy, forcing a small fake smile, and peeked down at the front page of her newspaper. She wanted to hear more.

The newsboy beside Jenkin kicked the brick wall they were standing against. Apparently he was unable to talk about Spot while keeping the same composure as his leader. "But how?" He asked, losing his patience. "Maybe we can send somebody else to talk to him. He beat up Dig when he went to Brooklyn, but if we send somebody stronger he might be forced to listen instead of giving him the mark."

_The mark_. The mark of Spot's cane... Riley suddenly remembered _exactly_ who they were talking about. Spot had taken her and half a dozen Brooklyn boys to Manhattan not too long ago, but Spot had been held up in Brooklyn because he had to 'take care' of one of the Harlem newsies who had come to speak to him. Spot had tried to get the Harlem newsie, Dig, to fight him, but it turned out to be something Riley would never forget. Spot had only hit him a few times, but ultimately sent Dig back to Harlem with a blow to the face that could only be made by the imprint of Spot's cane. Supposedly it was widely known as a mark of shame on the victims of Brooklyn.

Jenkin was shaking his head at the suggestion of sending somebody else to talk to Spot. "No, we've already tried that," he said. "If we send one more person to 'talk' to them Conlon might kill them on the spot, just 'cause he'd be so pissed about it."

Riley flipped to the second page of the newspaper, scanning the headlines nonchalantly. It was hard for her to hear them, but their deep voices made it easier.

The other newsie tried arguing, but Jenkin interrupted him. "No, I'm done trying to_ talk _to him!" the Harlem leader insisted. "The only time Conlon's crew would be in the same room without attacking us would be if they were **already** at our funeral. I'm not risking that."

The other newsboy sighed with defeat. "Fine... Hey, we should really keep walking. The Brooklyn guys will be selling the afternoon edition soon, they might see us."

The Harlem leader grabbed his nephew, and the three newsboys took off down the street.

* * *

Riley and Blush got back to the docks with a few seconds to spare before the boys left. Luckily Spot and most of them were still by the water and not already at the distribution center.

Blush sped up and rushed over to her brother. She spoke quietly into Spike's ear; he looked out into the water as she told him about what Riley had overheard. When Blush was finished he rubbed the sweat off his forehead and stood up, taking a few long strides to where Spot was stationed.

Riley watched in the shadows as Spot's expression turned from calm to murderous. He motioned for Spike to follow him as they began walking off of the docks. He said something quietly to Blush as he went by her.

Spot passed Riley with out sparing her a single glance. His eyes were a dangerous swirl of gray, and it only added to the concern already gripping her whole body. Spike got the attention of a few of Spot's other Brooklyn boys as they left the dock; the group of them crossing the street to the Lodging House, obviously skipping the afternoon edition now.

Blush came back to stand by Riley's side. "Come on," she said, her tone serious. "Spot said he wants you upstairs for now. This isn't going to be good."

"Yeah," Riley responded, her eyes still following Spot's every move as he entered the Lodging House. "Yeah, alright."

Blush sympathetically rubbed Riley's arm, her lips set in a grim smirk as they followed Spot's footsteps off of the dock and into the Lodging House.

Riley looked at Spot as she walked through the door. His back was facing her; his palms spread out on the table in front of him, his back arched as he stared down at the wood.

Blush ushered her forward. The rest of the group of boys were scattered around the table that Spot was leaning on. They were waiting for the two girls to climb the stairs to the third floor into Riley's room.

They made it up the first set up stairs and were going up to the third floor when Riley stopped. She stared around the bunkroom on the second floor, biting her bottom lip as she thought. She wanted _so bad_ to hear what they had to say about Harlem. The curiosity was killing her. Curiosity had always been Riley Cardoni's worst flaw.

"Riley!" Blush whispered, gesturing up the stairwell. "Spot said he wants you _all the way_ upstairs - don't mess with his orders, I'm serious!"

Riley put her finger to her lips to shush her. She crept quietly back to the first flight of stairs leading down to the common room and knelt down on the floor.

Blush looked like she wanted to argue, but Spot and his crew were already talking, and she didn't want them to find out they were right up the stairs in earshot of their meeting.

Riley ignored the grime of the wooden floor and slid down on her stomach; her arms hanging over the top step so she could hear better.

"They obviously aren't backing down like we thought," she heard Spike saying. "He's aiming for you, Spot. I don't know how he got the thought in his head, but it sounds like he thinks he can take you on."

"Bullshit," another Brooklynite spoke. "He can't take on Brooklyn! Let's teach him a lesson, you know? We'll target _him_. Taking out the leader will show them we ain't taking this lightly."

Several voices began arguing with each other; none of their words were clear enough for Riley to decipher. She leaned down further, her hands holding up her torso as she suspended her body over the top two steps.

Finally, Spot's voice rang clear in the room. "I'm not worried about that stupid fuck Jenkin," he said, effectively quieting the other voices. "If he thinks he can take me on I'd love to see him try. It'd be some good entertainment."

"What if they think the girl is the right way to get to you?" Spike asked the question that must've been on his mind for a while. "Is it still a good idea to have her here?"

Riley held her breath, praying that her body wouldn't move or cause a creak on the stairs.

"She won't go back to her parents," Spot said quietly, dismissing the question. "So if she's staying in Brooklyn it'll be trouble for her to be anywhere else. She's gotta stay here. She's in too deep; knows too much."

There was a few seconds of silence before a new voice spoke up.

"... But boss, what if she screws us up?" He reasoned. "What if they use her to their advantage? She could get scared or something, and go to the cops about the hit we did that night. They could use her for _that_."

There was a murmur of agreement among them.

"It's a risk, Spot. He's right." Spike confirmed.

Riley was angered by their assumptions, but she remained frozen in her position. Her arms were straining and sore, but she didn't dare move.

"How do you know she won't turn on you? She ain't really Brooklyn; she's not one of us."

"She wouldn't do that," Spot said simply. "Riley Cardoni ain't none of your concern, don't worry about her. She'll keep her mouth shut," then he raised his voice, "ISN'T THAT RIGHT, CARDONI_?_"

_Shit! _Riley silently cursed herself. He knew she was there the whole time! She turned her head to see that Blush was pathetically shaking her head. Riley considered staying silent, thinking that maybe he was just _assuming_ she was there…

"You think I don't know you're there?" Spot called again.

Riley didn't know if she should run away or answer back to him. But suddenly two separate footsteps were heard; one belonging to Spot as he walked over to the stairs, the other belonging to Blush as she fled to the third floor so she wouldn't get caught. Riley was still suspended over the top step, resting on her stomach. She struggled to push herself back off the stairs so she could sit up, but she wasn't fast enough.

His footsteps pounded on the stairs as she scrambled backwards. She was off the first step and flipped around on the landing so she was no longer on her stomach, but then looked up to see Spot now standing over her.

"Nice hiding place," he said jokingly about the embarrassing position he found her in; lying on her back, her elbows propped up behind her.

It was probably the most embarrassed Riley had ever felt. This was **definitely** not how she had imagined today to turn out.

Spot reached down to grab her hands and help her up; his strong arms pulling her to her feet faster than she expected.

He snorted a laugh as he looked her up and down. His eyes landed on her face again, and she couldn't think of a thing to say to explain herself.

Eyes still on Riley, Spot spoke loudly to Blush on the third floor. "And I heard you running up the stairs, _Blush!_" He called out to her.

"Sorry, Spot!" Blush yelled from the third floor. "I told her not to do it!"

"Traitor," Riley said quietly at Blush's words.

Spot ignored her. He was too busy staring at Riley, his eyes still holding that dangerous glint that she had seen on the dock when he found out about Jenkin. "I know you're listening 'cause you're concerned about Harlem," He said, his voice hushed as he knowingly placed his hands on her hips. The embarrassment on her cheeks turned to a flush of anticipation. Once again she thought about the way he had kissed her last night.

The butterflies in her stomach didn't give her enough time to reply.

"But only stupid girls would worry about Harlem," Spot continued, his face tilted down so he could see her eyes. "You're in Brooklyn, Cardoni. _Nobody_ fucks with Brooklyn. You keep forgetting that."

Riley sighed. Spot was right; she was concerned about this fight with Harlem, but something really felt wrong about it. "I know, but..."

"No."

"But, I..."

"But _nothing_, woman!" He objected, trying his hardest to control his temper. "This isn't your problem."

His lips had drifted closer to hers during their exchange, and now she could feel the magnetic force of his body. Riley was so drawn to him that she automatically parted her lips, waiting with bated breath for the kisses that Spot had granted her the night before. What was wrong with her?

His hands were firm but gentle on her hips. "Just do as I say," Spot murmured to her lips, his voice smooth and soft as a song. "Behave, Riley; and _don't_ let me find you lying on the floor like that again."

Riley nodded her head, mesmerized by the closeness of his lips as they barely brushed against hers with every musical word he spoke.

"Lying on your back, looking up at me like that; are you crazy? You don't want to do that again," he hinted, a teasing smile curved on his mouth. His soft lips slowly made contact with hers, and all of the sensitive nerve endings that they touched jolted through her body. Then, he pulled away just as fast. "So don't give me any ideas, Cardoni."

Riley kept silent, breathless, and her heart felt pained when he uncaringly let her go. It was a dark reminder of how he was used to encounters like this, with so many other girls.

He had tried to keep her mind off of the conflict between Brooklyn and the leader of Harlem. But the second he pulled away she felt the spark of anguish return to her mind.

"But... That guy, Jenkin," Riley said, her voice weak as she tried to compose herself again. "He... I don't know, there's something strange about him. He hates you, like really _really_ hates you, and I could hear how much he despises Brooklyn."

Spot must've seen the worry in her face because he rolled his eyes in exasperation and grudgingly let out an annoyed sigh. "Great, I can't believe I'm doing this..." He muttered under his breath as his arms reached out to Riley again.

Before she could comprehend the meaning behind his words, Spot pulled her into his arms.

Riley felt her muscles tense with disbelief that Spot Conlon was hugging her, but immediately the disbelief melted into gratitude as she rested her arms on top of his shoulders. Her forearms circled around the back of his neck and she held on tight, breathing in the sweet familiar scents of cigars mixed with the hint of tobacco that lingered on his shirt.

Many girls have experienced what it's like to be misunderstood. You can be in a room full of happy and smiling people who try cheering you up, but you can't get rid of the lonely feeling inside of you. You can't cheer up because nobody truly understands how you feel. But at that moment Riley felt like Spot was sympathizing with her. She felt like he understood the uncertainty in her heart. She knew that Spot wasn't the type to sympathize with anybody, but it felt better to fool herself into believing he did.

So Riley closed her eyes as she allowed herself to feel comforted in Spot's arms. She had missed the feeling of a friend's embrace, and it was ironic that Spot was being that 'friend' to her right now.

But a few moments later Spot was the one who had tensed up. He awkwardly rubbed his hand on her back, not accustomed to this kind of embrace. Riley felt that he wanted to get her away, but she couldn't let go.

"A'right, a'right.. Don't get too clingy." He said, loosening his grip, although he wasn't pushing her away just yet.

Riley ignored his comment and kept him in the embrace for a few more seconds. She didn't care if she was acting childish; she hugged him like he was the only thing keeping her on the ground.

She was afraid that if she opened her eyes and let go that the moment would be over too quickly. She didn't want to face those cold, gray and arrogant eyes that he always kept in a cruel glare. She didn't want him to slip back into his leadership role just yet. She desperately wanted him to stay this way, Riley thought to herself.

"It kind of scares me." Riley finally whispered, bruising her own pride by admitting it, while she was still wrapped up in his arms.

Spot chuckled condescendingly; she felt the low vibrations of deep laughter in his chest as she pressed her cheek against his shirt.

Spot tilted his head down and put his mouth against her temple. "I said it before, and I'll say it again..." He said harshly, his lips brushing against her skin. "You _should_ be scared."

His warning shattered all of the joy that Riley felt. Spot's strong hands grabbed her upper arms as he pulled them from around his neck, then he pushed her away from him so she could no longer feel the warmth of his body against hers.

"But not of Harlem," Spot finished, his hand drifting to the tip of his cane as if by habit. "Nobody in my Lodging House should be scared of Harlem; end of story."

Spike called up the stairs from the common room, telling Spot to get back down there to continue their discussion.

"Go upstairs." Spot commanded Riley, pointing to the staircase leading up to the third floor. "I mean it this time, Cardoni. Go."

Riley couldn't find the words to argue with him. His previous words were still haunting her... _'You __**should**__ be scared.'_

He said that she shouldn't be scared of Harlem…

_So you mean that I should be scared of __you_, Riley thought to herself, climbing up each step with a heavy feeling in her stomach.

Of course she should be scared of someone as dangerous as Spot Conlon. He was violent, and unpredictable, and leader of the rough streets of Brooklyn. The meeting downstairs and the way her heart was still beating hard after her encounter with him was proof of the power he held.

And suddenly Riley regretted just how easy it had been for Spot to kiss her this time.

* * *

**I'm so overwhelmed with the amount of support I have received recently. Thank you all so much – please keep reviewing and let me know how this chapter is! I hope it wasn't too long, or too boring. Thanks for reading!**


	28. Patience

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Newsies, but I own the others.**

The day after her encounter with the Jenkin, Riley wasn't doing too good. The whole day she was practically by herself, with just Spin for company after the boys finished selling. Spot didn't come around the Lodging House, and that was enough to make her nervous. However, she knew that if he _did_ go to Harlem she would've known about it. A small part of her was worried that he was purposely staying away from her.

Either way, Riley ended up sitting in the common room that night playing cards with Spin until her eyes started to droop.

"Hey, Spin," Riley spoke up after their hundredth round of poker, his favorite game. "Isn't it your bed time?"

Spin chuckled. "I don't have a bed time! Besides, you're the one who looks like you're going to fall asleep on the table."

Just then the door to the Lodging House opened and Spot walked in, followed by a few of his other newsboys. His face held no emotion, which was a good sign. If something was wrong she'd definitely be able to see it on his face.

Riley frowned to herself. Spot greeted the boys in the room that were acknowledging his arrival, but then he went straight upstairs. Fine, she didn't even want to talk to him anyway, Riley thought to herself. Defeated and ashamed that she was anticipating his arrival for no reason at all, Riley said goodnight to Spin about 15 minutes after Spot had retreated to his room for the night. She was exhausted and confused, and mentally kicking herself for thinking about Spot too much.

She climbed the dark stairs to the third floor, her eyes fighting to adjust to the poorly lit hallways of the Lodging House. Her legs felt heavy, her eyelids closing once she reached the door to her room. She was physically tired, but emotionally drained. Her hand was on her doorknob when she felt it - that feeling that she wasn't alone.

As if by habit, her eyes were drawn to his bedroom door... And that's where Riley saw him.

Spot's body was silhouetted by the dim light in the hallway. He was facing her, resting his shoulder against the wall beside his door frame. He must've heard her come upstairs because he had remained completely silent. Riley wouldn't have even noticed him if she wasn't so aware of his presence wherever she went.

Riley released her hold on the doorknob to her room. Even after all they had been through, she felt the automatic sense of fear heighten her nerves. Spot had that kind of impression on people.

"Tired?" He asked, his voice low and quiet as it penetrated the silence of the hallway.

Riley suddenly found it strange that she was no longer tired; seeing Spot Conlon standing in front of you, alone in a dark deserted hallway, wakes you up instantly. But she decided to keep that thought to herself.

"A little bit." She answered, fighting the urge to ask him where he'd been all day. It was none of her business, and Spot wasn't the type of person who appreciated those kinds of questions.

Spot let out a deep chuckle. "A little bit?" He mocked her, "I almost had to come save you from passing out when you got up those stairs."

Riley realized how cranky she was when anger flushed her cheeks. "I wouldn't need you to _save me_," she insisted, hating his condescending tone. "So hey, here's an idea: if you ever see me, like, passing out or something, let me fall and bash my head open. I don't need you to catch me."

Riley knew that she was acting childish and lying through her teeth. She felt protected around Spot now, for some unexplained reason, but it was important for her not to appear weak around him. The little pride she had left was strong, and she wasn't going to let it go without a fight. It was all she had left to protect herself against him.

"Alright," Spot laughed, amused with her persistence. "Just don't fall, kid, 'cause then I'd have _more_ blood on my hands that I don't want."

Those words affected her more than she expected them to. _Just don't fall_. This was one order from Spot Conlon that she found hard to comply with. She was finding it harder and harder to resist the urge to fall for someone like him, even though he was so open about the amount of blood that had been shed on his account.

She changed the subject. "Um, so, how is Jack?" She asked awkwardly, remembering the past few times she'd been alone with Spot, and how he had the ability to make her knees weak.

"He's fine," Spot answered, looking down at a rolled up cigarette that he was twirling between his fingers. "He walked home today, so some of the Manhattan boys came over the bridge to get him," he looked up and gave her a smirk, his stormy eyes catching hers from underneath his long eyelashes. "They asked how you were doing. I told them to fuck off."

"Spot!" Riley yelled at him.

"Relax - damn, you get so emotional." He complained, shaking his head.

"I have a lot of reasons to be emotional, Conlon! Don't yell at people who are just trying to be nice to me." Riley replied, her voice quieter when she realized how loud she had been.

Spot let out a loud laugh. "Yea, _nice to you_, uh huh, right. Skittery was _overly_ nice to you when you lost that poker game, gorgeous, you remember _that_?"

Riley remembered. The Manhattan boys, including Racetrack, Mush, some, and Skittery had played a game of poker with her some time ago. The stakes were simple - if she won she'd get the money, if she lost she had to kiss whoever had the best hand. She lost; Skittery won.

"Don't change the subject," Riley snapped, remembering how Spot had called that night short and sent everyone home before she could pay her dues. "I'm being serious."

"Me too," Spot replied, his eyes flaring in the soft light, reminding Riley of who she was talking to. There's no way she could yell at Spot Conlon; he did what he wanted, when he wanted, and to whomever he wanted to do it to.

They were both silent for a moment; the tension in the hallway thickening, like it usually did when they were alone. She didn't like the feeling, his stare made her feel uncomfortable.

"I already told you how overwhelming all of this is." Riley broke the silence. She was suddenly reminded of how emotionally exhausted she was, but she couldn't turn her back on him just yet. "Could it kill you to stay nice to me?"

"Know what? I think you secretly enjoy this," Spot said, a knowing glint in his eyes, enjoying the feeling he had over her. "You like the thrill, I think - the danger of it all," he grinned. "You're not used to it, being a sheltered Staten Island girl and all, so it excites you a little bit."

Riley stepped away from her door so she now stood in the middle of the hallway, her eyes wide with disbelief. "I'm secretly _enjoying_ it? Enjoying _what_, exactly?" She asked incredulously, and then started counting on her fingers, "Sleeping in a storage room? Not having any friends? How about seeing somebody beat to death in an alley?" She was on her third finger now and kept going, "then being bossed around by you constantly, _and _being surrounded by newsboys that have to pretend I'm a part of the wall?" She held up all five of her fingers and then let her hand drop to her side. "I don't think I'm enjoying _any_ of that!"

"Hey now, slow down, woman!" Spot said, pushing himself off the wall and straightening his posture. "You're the one refusing to go home to your parents," he reasoned, "and what's the matter with you? Girls love being surrounded by my boys."

"Yeah, when they're allowed to _talk _to them. I can't even have a casual conversation about the weather - you'd beat them til their eyes bruise shut, just because they talked to me."

Spot smiled to himself. "Damn right I'd bruise their eyes shut," he said, pocketing his unlit cigarette. "Talk about the weather with Spin or something. We talked about this, Cardoni. _You're_ off limits," he finished arrogantly, testing her last nerve.

Riley breathed through her nose, trying to steady her rising temper. She couldn't yell at him. She had learned her lesson, witnessed his bad temper. "I think you secretly like that I'm not so easy to control," Riley blurted out.

Riley nodded her head when his smug expression faltered. "Yeah, you heard me," she pressed further. "You like that I'm not one of your little slaves; I stick up for myself and _you're_ the one that's not used to it."

Spot rolled his eyes, walking away from his door so that he stood closer to her. "You have a lot to learn, Cardoni. You're just lucky I have the patience for you."

"You have absolutely no patience."

"You're right," Spot agreed with a controlled laugh, his voice low as he brought his hand up to her cheek. "None what-so-ever."

Riley felt her breath catch in her throat, but tried as hard as she could to remain calm when he touched her. He was doing this on purpose. Spot had this power over her that made her lose the control over her pulse, making her heart beat fast and her cheeks flush.

"You are hard to control sometimes," Spot said, his eyes a deep blue that gave her chills. "But when you give in it makes doing _this_ so much more enjoyable..."

The last words in his sentence were down to a whisper as he dipped his face down to hers, capturing her lips with his own in a kiss that sent shock waves down her body.

But Spot was kissing her so gently that she forgot every single _bad_ thing she had learned about him. Suddenly _she_ was the one trying to control her aggression, the roles reversing now that he was the one holding back. But when he closed the kiss, opting to tease her by pulling away  
and giving her short little pecks instead, she felt herself turn into jelly. Everything about Spot Conlon felt so good, and she wanted to strangle the voice in the back of her mind screaming at her to stop. Spot ran his fingers through her hair, barely brushing his lips with hers. Riley kept her eyes closed, anticipating every touch.

Suddenly she felt his lips part as he began speaking. "I have a question, and you're gonna answer it for me." Spot told her, in between those short torturing kisses that would've made her say anything he wanted.

His lips were mere centimeters away now. "Yesterday, when you and Blush stumbled across those Harlem boys..." that infamous smirk tugged his lips, kissing her again to persuade her further, "when you saw my 'enemy' Jenkin," Spot continued smoothly. Another softer kiss. "Tell me what you thought of him."

He didn't kiss her again; instead he pulled back, waiting for an answer to his question.

Riley took an embarrassingly long moment to clear her befuddled mind so she could interpret what he had asked her. "Um," she breathed, opening her eyes, her face pinched with confusion as she thought about what he meant. "I - I don't understand. What'd I think of him..?"

"That's what I said, Cardoni," Spot replied shortly, his smirk suddenly gone, all playfulness pushed aside. "What'd you _think _about him?"

Riley couldn't even understand the question. She had no idea what he meant.

Spot was losing his patience. "Answer me. I'm only going to ask you this once. Would you pick him over Brooklyn ?"

Most girls would've assumed that Spot was asking Riley if she'd pick Jenkin over Spot. Like who was more attractive, more powerful, or more intriguing. But Riley knew better than to assume that's what he meant. Spot Conlon wasn't worried about his status in this city; he knew just how desirable he was, and that no girl in her right mind would choose anybody over him. So  
Riley knew that his question held something different...She remembered the meeting Spot had yesterday with the Brooklyn newsboys when they discussed the problems with Harlem. From what Riley overheard (from the top of the stairs, before Spot caught her eavesdropping) the other Brooklyn boys were apprehensive about Riley's position in the Lodging House. They had asked Spot if she could be trusted to keep her mouth shut about the murder she witnessed; a murder that could easily land them in jail if she snitched. They said that Harlem could use her to their advantage, if they thought she could be a weakness to Brooklyn.

So when Spot asked her if she'd choose Jenkin over himself, she knew he was really asking if she'd turn traitor to Brooklyn. He was studying her reaction; looking for any sign of mistrust. Spot had once told her that he'd do anything to protect Brooklyn, even if it meant getting rid of _her_.

She suddenly felt scared for herself; determined to convince him of her innocence in this battle of the boroughs.

"I'll never be a threat to you," Riley answered defensively, taking a step back. "I know what the other boys said, but they need to shut their damn mouths about what they _think_! I'm not here to be a liability, or some fucking pawn in your war games. I'm here because you got me kicked out of Bonnie's apartment. I can't control what I saw, but I sure as hell want nothing to do with Harlem!"

"I have given my boys a guarantee that you won't be a problem," Spot sneered. The atmosphere in the dark hallway had changed drastically. "On top of my responsibilities to Brooklyn and my boys I also have _you_ as my responsibility. So listen to me, Cardoni - you need to swear on your life that you won't make me regret it."

Riley's eyes were locked into his; he kept his glare, leaving her unable to look away as the power of his words vibrated through the tension that surrounded them.

Blush had told her more about Jenkin, about how he was a front-runner in the competition of people who tried to emulate Spot Conlon. Spot didn't trust Riley when it came to Harlem. He didn't trust anybody.

"I swear," Riley answered solemnly.

"On your life," Spot prompted her with a harsh severity in his voice.

"I swear on my life," Riley whispered, a predestined feeling of a doom giving her an ominous prediction to how this may end. She tried to ignore the uneasy feeling it had given her, but she had made her promise and Spot would make sure she stuck by it, no matter what.

"Okay then," Spot concluded, although his eyes remained dark. "I needed to make sure," he brushed the back of his hand against her cheek, "I can't have you any deeper into this fight than you already are."

His words were of concern, but the way he said it was a whole different story. It was like he was warning her that she wouldn't be an exception to the rules if she threatened his reign on Brooklyn

And with that, he turned around and walked into his room; the door snapping firmly into place as he closed it behind him.

* * *

**A very short chapter, but I felt bad for not updating. I have a whole lot of stuff coming up in this story, some big stuff, but it would've taken even longer if I added it into this chapter. I have no excuse for not updating – the truth is that I've just been busy enjoying my summer, but I have most of the next events written. I appreciate your patience, and I hope you all forgive me for this short chapter! Thank you so much for the reviews!**


	29. Heat Wave

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Newsies, but I own the others.**

* * *

The big headline the next day was news of the deadly heat wave rolling through the streets of New York City. The headline gave the newsies a lot to work with, but the unbearable heat had even the toughest newsies complaining.

"Riley, why is it so hot?" Blush whined for the hundredth time.

Riley distractedly shrugged her shoulders, picking at the unusual sight of dirt beneath her fingernails. "I don't know," she answered, frowning at the thin layer of dark grit under the nail of her ring finger.

Blush groaned. "Why am I sweating this much?"

"I don't know, Blush," Riley said, her patience cut short from the heat. "I'm no genius, but I think you're sweating _because_ it's so hot out."

Blush stooped lower on her seat, wiping the sweat from her brow. Both girls were in the common room, too lazy to move.

"Why can't it just be nice out?" Blush asked.

Riley gave her an annoyed look. "I don't know." Riley repeated herself, too lethargic to come up with a smartass response.

Blush let out a miserable sigh and fanned her face with her hand. It had been only yesterday when the two girls saw Jenkin on the streets of Brooklyn, but to Riley it felt like a lifetime since the encounter. She couldn't sleep that night, no matter how hard she tried, and now she was stuck in a blazingly hot Lodging House, enjoying the small amount of time she had with Blush before the newsies were off to sell the afternoon edition.

The sun was too hot to stand at the docks, but the boys were down there anyway. Riley's mind was filled with possibilities of what Spot had talked about last night during his meeting with the Brooklyn newsboys, and she wondered if he was still angry about Jenkin. Riley saw Spot briefly this morning, but didn't get the chance to talk to him before he left to sell his papers. It had been a very, very long day being stuck inside all by herself. It wasn't "safe" for her to leave without one of Spot's boys with her.

So all-in-all, Riley was frustrated, and the dirt under her fingernails was not helping her feel any better.

"I hate heat waves," Blush complained, continuing with her complaining. "I wish I could stay here and not work in the sun all day."

"I'd rather be out in the sun," Riley replied bitterly, still picking at her poor nails. "I hate being here, all alone with nobody to talk to. It feels like a jail or something."

Blush nodded with understanding, and then smiled. "Yeah, but I bet it's even worse than a jail, wanna know why?"

Riley gave up on her nails and pushed her hair out of her face. "Why?"

"Because you _chose_ to be here." Blush chuckled. "You agreed to this so you could stay in Brooklyn."

Riley wasn't laughing. It was true - she didn't have to be here. But in a choice between Staten Island and Brooklyn? She'd choose her prison in the Lodging House any day. She still felt crazy for thinking that.

"I gotta get in line," Blush announced, knowing that it was time for the afternoon edition.

Riley let out a miserable moan. "Sell quickly," was the only thing she told Blush before she walked out the door.

Riley walked to the window and hated nature for not giving her a cool breeze today. She stood in the kitchen for a moment, opening the small window to let in some air and light. Blush had taken some of Riley's money and bought some food on her way back from selling, so Riley began putting things away and organizing.

One thing Riley never had to do in Staten Island was clean, cook, put away groceries, or eat the kind of meals meant for newsboys. However, she was happy to do it. She wanted to start contributing in some way.

Her mind began drifting as she lazily flung the pots into the sink. Spot was out in his own world right now, being admired, probably surrounded by beautiful girls who would buy all of his papers just to make eye contact with him. Why did she torture herself like this? Was it normal for girls to think and assume the worst? Spot didn't belong to her; he didn't belong to anybody. And if he wanted to belong to someone it definitely wasn't Riley, because he would've told her that he wanted some kind of relationship with her and only her.

Riley paused in the middle of scrubbing the same pot she had been cleaning for far too long. She needed to STOP thinking like this. This was Spot _fucking_ Conlon she was thinking about! Since when did the word 'relationship' come to her mind?

"You're one in a million, you idiot," Riley mumbled to herself angrily, slamming the pot on the counter. She saw her reflection in another pot on the shelf and shoved it away. "I'm falling for the same guy _every_ girl in the damn city wants..."

She furiously scrubbed whatever was left in the large sink, scolding herself the whole time for her thoughts. "I _am_ Brooklyn," Riley mimicked Spot in a squeaky voice. She wiped the sweat off her forehead. "Seriously, fuck Brooklyn" - she turned off the water pump and picked up a clean rag - "oh that's right, Spot, I said fuck," she scoffed, thinking of his usual reply - "girls shouldn't swear - it's _unattractive_," Riley mimicked Spot's voice again as she forcefully threw the rag on the counter.

Great, she was talking to herself now. Being alone in this stifling hot Lodging House was officially driving her mad.

She heard the front door in the common room door open and froze. She swore to herself again, thinking that who ever it was may have heard her talking to herself.

But wait... Everyone was selling the afternoon edition. The headlines were good, so she thought nobody would be skipping today. She didn't expect anybody to be here for a few hours...

Riley fixed herself before leaving the kitchen. She smoothed out her white dress, the most lightweight one she had; a mix of thin fabric lined with soft lace. Her long and wavy hair was twisted up and held in place with pins, but it was messy. Several strands had fallen in her face, so she brushed them behind her ears before walking into the common room.

Maybe it was Spot. Maybe he stopped by to see her because they haven't spoken yet today. The possibility made her smile, which was bad. She shouldn't look forward to seeing him this much. Riley stood in the common room and looked around for whoever was here.

She saw someone by one of the tables. But it wasn't Spot.

In fact, she had no idea who this boy was. He was very tall, blonde, dressed in the clothes of a newsboy, and looked about her age. The first thing she noticed was a thick scar running down the side of his face from his brow to his chin. Then Riley noticed his bright hazel eyes, looking straight at her.

"Just the girl I was looking for," the boy said. His voice was deep, but proud. A dark smile came to his face, creasing the scar that slanted down his cheek.

Riley definitely didn't recognize him. "Excuse me..?" She asked, looking around once more to see that they were alone. "Who are you?"

He sat down and gestured to the seat across from him. "Take a seat - this won't take long."

Something didn't feel right. Riley contemplated leaving through the front door, but the boy must've read her mind.

"Don't bother running. Someone's outside by the door. Just sit down, sweetface," he assured smoothly, the sick smile still on his face. "Like I said - this won't take long."

Riley narrowed her eyes, then slowly walked over to him. She grabbed the chair he was gesturing to, dragged it closer to her, and sat down; her eyes never left his face.

"Good," he praised her, lighting up a cigarette and blowing out the smoke before he continued. "Do you know why I'm here?"

"Am I supposed to care?" Riley asked, unable to keep back her sarcastic tone.

"Yes, you should, because I know exactly who _you_ are," he said smugly. "You're originally from Staten Island, am I right? You moved in with a friend who lives a few blocks from here. Jack Kelly's girlfriend," he confidently took another drag of his cigarette. "How am I doing so far?"

Riley felt her mouth go dry. "I asked you a question," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "Who the _hell_ are you?"

"You worked at a nice little place called Romano's Lounge," he continued as if she never spoke. "Didn't work there long, I hear. But sometimes you'd be there 'til _real _late at night..."

Oh, God. Riley knew what he was getting to. She didn't recognize him because he didn't belong around here at all. He wasn't from Brooklyn. She saw the shadow of someone at the window by the front door; the person who was keeping a look out, making sure no Brooklynites returned early from selling.

Riley knew what she had to do. The same word kept running through her head: _deny, deny, deny. _

"I honestly don't know what you're talking about," Riley said, keeping eye contact with him, praying he wouldn't see through her lie.

The boy laughed quietly, blowing smoke through his mouth as he studied her. "Oh really?" He asked sarcastically. "Then what are you doing here?"

Her mind raced for an answer. "Um, my boyfriend lives here." It was the only thing she could think of.

"Yeah?" He asked, not believing her for a second. "You a newsie? A factory girl?"

"Factory," Riley answered too quickly. "Well, I _was_ working at a factory, but not right now because I quit."

"Hmm, which one?"

"The... the big one," Riley guessed, her voice pitched a little too high. She cleared her throat. "The point is I'm not working there anymore. I'm in between jobs at the moment."

The boy took a drag off his cigarette, amused with her story. "Right. That sure is a nice dress," he said, pointing his cigarette in her direction as he eyed her dress, the smoke escaping from his lips as he spoke.

It wasn't a compliment; he was calling her out on her lie. This stranger knew exactly who she was, and that really freaked her out.

"I don't see how this is _any_ of your business, anyway." Riley said, standing up from her seat. "So either you tell me who you are, or we are done talking."

He tutted in disapproval. "My boss would be very upset to hear that you were being so rude to me, especially after I worked so hard to find you. Conlon's been good at keeping you out of sight," he said, not moving from his chair.

Riley glared at him. "Look, I don't know what you're playing at but that's none of your business and has nothing to do with you -"

"My boss thinks differently," he cut her off, taking one last drag off his cigarette before putting it out on the table. "In fact, _Jenkin_ believes it is definitely his business."

Jenkin, leader of the Harlem newsboys. Riley's worst fears were suddenly confirmed. This boy was from Harlem. Spot's enemy had taken a huge risk by sending his boys into Brooklyn territory, right into Spot's Lodging House, just to talk to her.

Riley didn't answer him. She held onto the side of the table, her heartbeat thudding against her chest. She had never wanted Spot as bad as she wanted him right now. Her heart ached for him to show up and save her from this conversation with the enemy.

The boy stared straight into her eyes. "Your name is Riley," he revealed, "and you were outside of the Lounge that night Conlon killed one of Harlem's best boys. You saw it happen."

Riley suddenly felt defensive. "I heard he had killed a few boys from Brooklyn," she countered. "So don't make a fool of yourself by pretending you're innocent in all of this."

"Jenkin knows why you're here, and he wants to make you an offer." He cut to the chase. "You don't really believe that Conlon's trying to protect you, do you? He just wants to protect himself. He knows that you could tell the cops what you saw that night."

"You shouldn't be here. Spot would _kill_ you for stepping foot into this place. He could walk in at any moment and catch you." Riley warned him, backing away from the table when his eyes flared with fury.

He quickly stood up and closed the space between them. "So Conlon got to you, didn't he? What'd he do? Fuck you til you joined his followers of whores who are convinced he's God gift to earth?" He grabbed both her arms and looked her in the eye. "All you dames are the same; it's pathetic. But you have no idea what you've gotten yourself into, sweetface. So here's the deal - my boss wants to meet you."

He had hit a nerve by talking about Spot's reputation, so Riley felt her face flush with frustration. "I've never slept with him, so get your hands off me!" Riley exclaimed, trying to stomp on his foot. He was too quick for her and was able to dodge it, still keeping hold of her upper arms.

"You have a choice," the Harlem boy continued, losing his patience. "Come with me now and Jenkin will take care of you. You can go to the police, get Conlon in jail, and Jenkin will let you and your friend stay in Brooklyn when he takes over."

"You'll have to drag me out of here kicking and screaming, asshole," Riley sneered, trying to pull out of his grasp. "Conlon knows that I want _nothing_ to do with this stupid fight, so you're wasting your time."

His hazel eyes grew angry as he squeezed her arms tighter. "Things are gonna get ugly around here if you choose Brooklyn over us," he said. "Make this easier for everybody. Put Conlon in jail and nobody else needs to get hurt."

The door to the common room opened. For half a second Riley thought she was saved, but the other Harlem boy that was keeping watch popped his head in. It was the same boy that Riley saw with Jenkin the other day.

"Jesus, Scar, hurry up. We gotta go." He called out. His eyes landed on Riley. "Damn, Jenkin will love this one," he smirked, winking at her after he took in her appearance.

Riley looked at him in disgust. She felt bruises forming on both of her arms from where this boy Scar was holding her, but she kept her ground. "I want _nothing_ to do with your leader's stupid grudge against Brooklyn," she said, clenching her teeth in pain. "And I'm not _going_ anywhere!"

"Fuck it, Scar, let's get out of here, it's getting too risky." The boy at the door said.

So his name was Scar. It made sense; the scar on his face was his most prominent feature.

"Jenkin will be pissed. She's gotta come with us." Scar demanded, staring Riley down, his hands still gripping her arms. He looked determined to finish the job he was sent here to do.

Riley took this opportunity to catch him off guard. She brought her knee up to his groin as hard as she could, praying she'd hit the right place.

Scar let her go and doubled over, grunting in pain. Riley sprinted across the room, but the other newsboy was right there to intercept her. He opened his fist, swung his arm back, and backhanded her across the cheek. She shrieked at the sharp stinging pain, the force causing her head to whip to the side. The hair that she had pinned up had fallen loose and was now cascading down her back and across her face. She held her hand to her cheek, the skin hot and tingling, her eyes automatically tearing up from the blow.

"Roy, you fucking idiot! Jenkin said not to hit her or nothing!" Scar yelled, yanking the newsboy away.

Roy, the Harlem boy who hit her, turned to Riley again and pointed his finger in her face. "You have a choice, girly. Don't fuck it up - or the next death will be on _your_ hands. Think about it."

Riley kept her hand to her cheek, unable to speak as Scar dragged Roy out of the Lodging House. Some people would fight back, yell, scream, anything; but Riley was too stunned to react.

Both newsboys took off down the street, leaving Riley alone in the common room once again.

* * *

Riley was on the second floor, using the large washroom to inspect her cheek. She had been there for a long time, staring at the red skin, and the two or three small bruises forming on her cheekbones. They were in the position of Roy's knuckles. He had gotten her good.

The sun had fallen low in the sky, and the Brooklyn newsboys were filtering into the Lodging House now, done with selling for the day. It was Red who saw her first as she stood in the washroom. He watched as Riley held a cold rag to her red cheek, and caught a glimpse of the small bruises when she repositioned it. An unspoken conversation took place between them as she saw his reflection in the mirror. Red looked concerned, even though she had pushed him off the dock not too long ago. He knew that this was serious. He turned around and barreled down the stairs. Several other boys lingered nearby, nobody speaking, but all of them waiting for their leader to arrive.

Sure enough, a few moments later Spot was stomping up the stairs at full speed, Spike and Red right behind him.

Riley's stomach was in knots. His eyes were like bright blue fire; and the full affect of Spot Conlon's fury was enough to shock the room into silence.

And in that moment, Riley knew by looking into his eyes that this was going to be the start of a real war.

* * *

**Thank you for the reviews – please let me know how this is going, and if I'm doing it justice! I'm definitely trying! **


	30. Hard to Believe

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Newsies, but I own the others.**

**A/N - This takes place right after the last chapter, so you may want to scan the end of it so you understand what's going on!**

* * *

Spot pushed through anybody in his way, his stormy gray eyes wild with an unspeakable fury.

Riley spun around to face him when he reached her. He grabbed her hand and pulled it down to reveal her cheek.

"Who?" Spot asked in a dangerous whisper. He looked around at his newsies. "Who did this?" All of them firmly shook their heads or nervously shrugged a shoulder. Nobody spoke.

Spot looked back at Riley. She shrank back at the furious light in his eyes. "Tell me, right now, who the FUCK -" he stopped himself from finishing his sentence, fighting the urge to yell at the top of his lungs. He checked himself and tried taking a deep breath. His hands shook as he ran his finger over the bruises on her cheek. Riley flinched at his touch.

"Tell me who did this to you," he demanded finally, lowering his voice as he spoke to her. Riley knew that he was absolutely livid. His body trembled, his eyes narrowed, and his nostrils flared as he tried steadying his breath.

Riley didn't know how to answer him. Should she try to be a hero and keep it a secret so he wouldn't do anything stupid? Should she keep secrets from him to protect him from his own anger? Spot would most definitely kill whoever hurt her.

But remaining silent wasn't an option... Spot would never believe her if she lied about what had happened. Besides, as much as she hated to admit it, Riley was not the 'hero' type. She was just a normal girl, and she was scared. _Anybody_ in her situation would be scared. Spot was the only person who would make her feel protected; despite what the Harlem boy had told her.

Riley opened her mouth to reply, then closed it again. Spot was trying so hard to keep his control that it looked painful. His eyes kept moving down to her cheek.

She licked her dry lips and looked down at Spot's chest, unable to make eye contact anymore. Why couldn't she talk?

Spot grabbed her arms, trying to get her to look up at him. Riley yelled out, her arms still tender from where the Harlem boy had his grip on her before. Spot let go of Riley so quick that it looked like he had just touched hot coals. He looked at her arms to see what she had yelled about and saw the bruises that had formed during the day.

"Fuck," he breathed, his jaw hung open, and his eyes wide.

"Riley," Spike spoke up, stepping closer, although keeping a few feet between himself and Spot. "Who was it?"

"Harlem," Riley answered Spike, her eyes still locked on Spot. He was still staring at her arms.

But Spot's face shot up to look her in the eye the second she said Harlem.

"You, you left the Lodging House?" Spot asked, his cheeks flushed with anger.

"No, I didn't! I didn't," Riley answered, knowing this next part was going to set him over the edge. "It was here, they..." She took a deep breath, nervous for his reaction. "Look, they came here, Spot. _Here_, to the Lodging House. But you were all off selling and... They just showed up."

Spike, who was second-in-command in Brooklyn, swore under his breath and ran his fingers through his hair. He knew the impact that this was going to have on his leader. The Brooklyn boys around them all tensed up, muttering amongst themselves, pissed off at what they were hearing. Most of them, like Riley, had their eyes on Spot.

Riley knew that she'd look back on this moment as one of the scariest moments of her life.

Spot Conlon looked like he would murder someone with the fists he had clenched at his sides. Riley took a step away from him, covering up her cheek once again with the rag in her hand. It gave her no relief because it was no longer cold, but she didn't like the way Spot was looking at the bruises that dotted her face. His eyes were wild with an unspeakable rage.

"Harlem came into my Lodging House?" He asked, his voice so calm that it was unnatural compared to the way his body shook.

"Let her talk first, Spot," Spike said, glancing nervously at Spot, then back at Riley. "Was it Jenkin?"

"No," Riley answered quietly. "Jenkin sent them both... Scar, I think one of them was called, he had this long scar on his face... And I recognized the second one who was guarding the door... His name was Roy. He was the one I saw with Jenkin the other day. He was the one who..." Riley trailed off, touching her cheek gently with the rag to let him know that Roy was the one who hit her.

Spike turned to his leader. "Boss..." He began, a tone of reason in his voice. He knew all too well that his leader was fighting to keep himself in control. It was the first time Riley had ever seen Spike nervous.

Spot's face was now beat red. He was gritting his teeth together as he swiftly turned away from Riley, throwing his hat against the wall and gripping his hair. Spot let out a furious yell as he stormed out of the washroom, causing his newsboys to scatter out of his way.

Riley winced as Spot kicked over a chair. His actions were unpredictable. He cocked back his fist and punched through a nearby window; the glass shattering over his hand. He didn't seem affected by the pain.

"Jenkin sent them HERE?" He screamed, his knuckles red with blood. "TO _MY_ LODGING HOUSE?" He paced back and forth. "THEY'RE DEAD! I'M GOING TO RIP OUT THEIR _FUCKING_ THROATS AND THROW THEIR BODIES ON JENKIN'S DOORSTEP!" Spot knocked over a bedside table, its contents spilling out onto the floor.

"What'd they want? What did they say to you?" Spike asked Riley, speaking over the hollering of his leader.

"Spot warned me," Riley whimpered, the outrage of the room petrifying her. "He told me that they knew about me, and he was right. They knew exactly who I was. They knew why I was here, Spike."

"This is important, Riley," Spike looked down into her eyes, speaking calmly. "What did they ask you to do?"

Riley heard a loud bang and looked over to see Spot knocking over one of the bunkbeds. The top mattress toppled onto the ground as the beds collapsed onto their sides. She looked back at Spike, her eyes wide. "Jenkin wanted to meet me," she breathed. "He wants me to go to the police as a witness to... to tell them what I saw that night. They think that if Spot's in jail..." She took a shaky breath, trying to block out Spot's violent yells. "If he's in jail Jenkin thinks he can take over Brooklyn or something."

A tear rolled down Riley's cheek. This wasn't supposed to happen; she didn't understand any of this. She wasn't_ meant _to be here. The violence, the murder, the fighting... No girl like Riley Cardoni should ever be exposed to this. It didn't matter how strong she had been in the past. This was a whole new playing field.

Several Brooklyn boys were busy trying to calm Spot down, but he was beyond anyone's control.

"They fucking hit her! Look at her face! I'm going to MURDER THEM!" Spot was screaming in the other room, his fist bloody from the shattered glass of the window.

"Are you alright?" Spike asked her.

"I'm fine, I swear, I'm okay!" Riley replied, her voice breaking. "Tell him that, would you?" She asked, watching Spot through the large double doors. "Tell Spot that I'm okay. He needs to calm down before he gets himself killed!"

Spike nodded, and left the room to stop his leader from destroying the bunkroom. Nobody wanted to get near him in fear that they'd be hurt.

The next hour became a blur to Riley. Spot was taken down to the common room while Spike came back to walk Riley to one of the beds in the bunkroom. The next thing she remembered was Blush showing up, saying that someone had sent for her. She was the friend Riley needed as she grabbed ice for her cheek and wrapped it in a cloth, then sat with her in the storage room upstairs. Riley told her the whole story; maybe even cried a few times in the process. Blush reassured her again and again that Spot was okay, that he was still here, and they were keeping him out of trouble. Riley wanted to see him, but she knew that seeing her bruises would infuriate him even more. Besides, Spot obviously didn't want to deal with her, or else he would've come to talk to her. Riley tried not to let that thought depress her.

Blush pulled a mattress into the tiny room and slept beside Riley's cot that night.

It was dark in the room, and Riley closed her eyes with her good cheek resting against her pillow. She fell into a restless sleep full of dreams that involved courtrooms, Spot in handcuffs, and Riley begging Brooklyn for forgiveness as she was pushed and forced onto the witness stand.

They were nightmares that she prayed would never come true.

* * *

Riley woke up the next morning feeling oddly peaceful. Her sleepy mind couldn't register why she felt this way; did she have a good dream? She couldn't remember... But she felt so pleasant that she allowed her mind to slowly wake up, savoring this mysterious feeling that filled her.

As her body became more awake and aware of its surroundings, she slowly realized why she was feeling this way. She had been woken up by the feeling of someone's fingers running through her hair, caressing her forehead and brushing the strands behind her ear.

Her eyes opened and she squinted slightly, her sight adjusting to the light so that she could see who was hovering over her.

A tired and surprised smile came to her lips when she discovered that it was the leader of Brooklyn himself who had woken her. He was sitting on the edge of her bed, his rough hand gently brushing her hair off her face. He was staring intently at something on her cheek... Riley finally comprehended what he was looking at when an achy type of pain accompanied her smile. It was the bruise on her cheek that Spot was staring at.

"Wake up and come into my room," Spot spoke to her as he pulled his hand away.

Still sleepy, Riley tried to understand what he was asking her to do. Her eyes became a little wide as she looked up at him. What was he implying exactly...?

Spot rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, Cardoni," he said teasingly. "I'll be on my best behavior. You know me."

With those words he stood up and walked out of the room. Riley sat up and rubbed her eyes, thoroughly confused. Blush must've already woken up to go selling, so she was now by herself in her room. The sun was high enough in the sky for her to know that Spot should be selling too. Curiosity taking hold, Riley stood up and stretched her arms in the air, trying to rid herself of the daze that accompanies waking up in the morning.

She quickly went to the small wash room across the hall and looked in the mirror. The bruise on the top of her cheek wasn't severe; it was only slightly discolored and rather small. But for a girl who had never been hit before, it certainly shocked her to see it. She washed up and ran her fingers through her long, wavy hair. She wanted nothing more than to take a bath to make herself feel better, but Spot gave her an order. She was eager to speak so she decided to actually comply with his orders this morning.

Riley left the wash room, changed into a cobalt blue dress, and pushed her hair back from her face. She didn't think about the irony of wearing a dress that almost matched the bruise on her cheek; it was hot and this dress was small and thin enough to wear in the heat.

Butterflies fighting her stomach, Riley walked to the end of the small hallway and knocked on Spot's door. He opened it immediately and stared intently at her; the look on his face was one that was impossible for her to decipher. Memories from last night clouded her mind, and she was slightly nervous about how angry he had been when he found out about Harlem. His knuckles were still red from breaking the window.

"How are you?" Spot asked sternly, leaning on the door, his eyes still staring deep in her own.

"I'm fine," Riley replied reassuringly.

Spot laughed bitterly, not believing for one second that she was truly as strong as she was acting.

"I swear," Riley said, crossing her arms. "I'm okay."

Spot rolled his eyes. "I find that hard to believe," he stared down at her, a tiny arrogant smirk gracing his soft lips.

Riley raised her eyebrows. "Well, Brooklyn, maybe I'm tougher than you think."

Spot laughed, even though his eyes still looked dangerous. "I think of lots of things," he replied airily, and opened his door wide enough for Riley to enter.

It felt like walking on eggshells. Riley didn't want to talk about last night because she was petrified of being reminded of how dangerous Spot could be, but she knew it was inevitable to talk about. But all thought left her mind when Spot sat her down on his bed and handed her a wash cloth.

She stared at it for a moment, then looked up at his face.

"Ice," Spot said, opening the cloth to reveal the small chunks of ice inside.

"Where did you get ice?" Riley exclaimed in surprise, taking the wash cloth and holding it to her tender cheek.

Spot let out a mocking laugh. "Damn, Cardoni, something small like ice excites you? I wonder how you'd react if I showed you what I was _really_ capable of."

Riley looked up at his arrogant face, and instead of replying with a biting remark, she laughed instead. Why was he being so nice? It made no sense to her; just last night he was destroying the bunkroom and looked about ready to kill everybody in the house.

The melty ice seeped out of the washcloth and ran down her cheek as she held it in place, but she didn't know what to say. Spot had been silent for a few minutes, smoking a cigarette and blowing the smoke out of his open window as he studied her. His intense gaze always made her so nervous.

Then, without time for Riley to comprehend what was happening, Spot had thrown his cigarette out the window and was now standing directly in front of her. She had to tilt her head back to look up at him, but before she could even register the look in his eyes he cupped the uninjured side of her face with his hand.

He was still standing up, so he was looking directly down at her, his gaze intense and powerful. Then he leaned down and moved his lips mere centimeters in front of hers. Her hand that was holding the ice fell to her lap, her breath now caught in her throat.

"What happened yesterday will never happen again," he spoke, his voice low and husky as he stared deeply into her eyes. "Nobody under Brooklyn's protection is gonna get hurt without serious consequences, do you understand?"

Riley tried to breathe steady with his face so close, but her head was tilted back and his hand was holding the side of her face and she ached for him. But a small part of her mind was signaling something deeper... What did he mean by serious consequences? "Conlon, look, I don't think..."

"You made the right choice, Cardoni." Spot continued without acknowledging her attempt to speak. His voice, so close to her lips, still sounded deep and quiet "If you went with Harlem yesterday..." His fingers tangled in her hair a little tighter, the thought of her helping Jenkin obviously making him angry, "If you caved in to Jenkin's threats... I don't think you understand what I'd have to do to you," he said, the danger in his voice chillier than the ice that she held in her lap.

"I know," Riley breathed, the torture of his lips so close making her disoriented. "But you won't have to do anything, because Jenkin is just a stranger to me."

"And what about me?" Spot prompted, his lips skimming across hers.

"You.." Riley fought to speak. "You're Spot Conlon, I... I know you.. I trust you."

Spot pulled her face closer and kissed her so deeply that the wash cloth fell from her hand, the ice scattering over the floorboards. She had no control over her senses. Spot was the one in control of them now. She felt herself being tilted back onto the bed. Spot had his fingers tangled in her hair so gently, his lips so soft, and the kiss so deep that she had to question whether this was real or just a dream so sweet that she'd never want to wake up again.

Their kiss never breaking, Spot positioned her more fully on the bed so that her legs were no longer hanging off the side from her previous sitting position. His body pressed down on hers and it awoke so much passion inside Riley that it never crossed her mind to make him stop.

Spot broke the kiss and moved to the spot just below her temple that was tender from the hand of the Harlem boy from yesterday. His lips touched it softly, small kisses covering every inch of pain that was inflicted on her.

Riley had one hand on his back while the other hand knocked the hat off of his head, her fingertips running through the softness of Spot's sunstreaked hair.

His lips moved down from below her temple to her ear, his teeth barely grazing her earlobe. His warm breath tickled the whole side of her body as he breathed in her ear, causing her lips to open...

"Spot," She breathed, the name slipping from her mouth without thought or reason.

Spot smirked and ran his thumb over her bottom lip, then kissed her again. "Wanna know why I told you before that I like hearing you say my name like that...?"

He didn't give Riley a chance to reply, he kissed her again, then looked her in the eye as he spoke again. "I like it because I want you to remember that it's _me_ who makes you feel that way."

Riley felt his confident smirk when he kissed her again, and it gave her just a fraction of a second to realize the position she was in. In Spot Conlon's room, on Spot Conlon's bed, with Spot Conlon on top of her. She gasped at how quickly this had all progressed, but Spot was two steps ahead of her.

He had that arrogant look back on his face when he positioned his weight onto his elbows, still staring down at her. His hand was caressing her injured cheek when he opened his mouth to talk.

"What you said about me a minute ago, what was that again?" He asked.

Riley was short of breath from kissing him and from the shock of realizing how fast he could take control of her. She scanned her mind, trying to remember what she had said right before he kissed her.

"I said, um, I said I know you. I said I trust -"

Spot put his finger over her lips to prevent her from finishing what she was about to say.

"Exactly," he confirmed. "Cardoni, this is New York City. This is Brooklyn. You gotta learn something... Never trust _anybody_."

And with that, Spot stood up and put out his hand to help her up as well. Riley was still reeling from how far that one kiss went; it was further than she had ever gone with any man before. She was definitely a free spirit compared to other girls in her society, but she certainly wasn't the type to have sex with somebody like Spot Conlon. The longing in her heart scared her; the way it felt was so foreign to her. It just felt _right_ when he kissed her. What was wrong with her?

Spot shook his head and sighed impatiently. He grabbed his cigarettes, slung his hat onto his head, and opened the door to his room.

"I got one of my boys downstairs," Spot said. "You're not alone. I gotta go take care of some stuff."

Riley forgot about her shock for a moment and looked at him suspiciously.

"Where are you going?" She asked, fearing it was about Harlem.

Spot raised his eyebrows at her and gave her a dark look. "Questions like that..." He stopped talking and shook his head, as if she was just another girl who was prying into his business. "Don't get attached to me, Riley," He said as he walked into the hallway. "It'll only hurt you. I'm an asshole, sure, but I still don't want to hurt you, kid."

He looked confused, almost like he was angry with himself. Then he went down the stairs and left Riley by herself, standing in the hallway.

Riley already felt hurt. She couldn't comprehend what the hell just happened. She needed to think, to clear her mind...

But suddenly something popped into her memory. Something Spot had said to her the other night in the kitchen, during the conversation they had when his defenses dropped and she caught sight of the frustration that had been building up inside him.

He had been screaming at her, and he had said that she was on his mind too much, worrying about her. She could hear his voice still in her head:

_"I can't focus because of you! You're always around - always there, making me lose focus. I - I can't think straight when you're on my fucking mind! This war is at risk because of you!"  
_  
Well, yesterday this _war_ rose to a whole other level. She was worried. But Spot didn't look angry enough to be storming into Harlem today... And she knew, without a doubt, that he would bring his boys with him. But that didn't mean that he wouldn't be doing it soon, so she decided to keep her guard up until then.

Riley was starving. She went downstairs, her mind still spinning, her heart aching from his cold departure. But all seemed well at the moment, despite the cold place inside of her caused by Spot's words.

He had been kissing her, and she had said his name again... Just like he always predicted. But her lips were still slightly swollen from his kisses, and it killed her to think of how much she liked it.

Her life was changing on these dirty streets of Brooklyn, and Riley felt the impact of this change just as hard as she felt the impact of the Harlem hand that bruised her face.

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**An update! I even have a lot of the next chapter written! I want to say, as always, that I'm so thankful for my awesome reviewers who keep me motivated and make me smile. I'd also like to thank all of you who actually read this but are too shy or something to review. Speak up, let me know your opinions on what you like/dislike. Every review helps me – your opinions are definitely considered when I write! Next chapter will be sooner than usual!**


	31. Penny for Your Thoughts

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Newsies, but I own the others.**

**A/N - Second update in a short period of time, so make sure you catch the last chapter if you haven't read it already.**

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The day went by quickly for Riley after Spot had left her that morning. The newsboy who was stationed at the house did not speak to her, considering Spot still had a strict rule about the boys interaction with her, but he kept to himself and it didn't bother her. She only had one boy on her mind, and he was the one who made her life miserable and slightly amazing all at the same time.

Spot and his boys arrived back at the Lodging House that night. They were less rowdy than usual, but she thought nothing of it. The only thing that bothered her was that Spot wouldn't look at her... It was as if he were avoiding her completely.

He was so unpredictable and Riley hated that about him. He always wound her up just to let her spin out of control until he was ready to catch her again. Spot Conlon thrived on this. He made his way to his leadership position by controlling all those around him. He said when to wake up, when to sell, when to fight, when to kill. Riley found herself becoming one of those people who revolved solely around him, and now _he_ was the one who controlled when she felt happy, sad, safe, or lonely.

Spot's power of manipulation was a talent that baffled her. She couldn't help waiting for his every move. He could infuriate her by making her feel jealous of every girl who had felt his touch, yet she ached for the moments when _she_ was the one with him. Why do girls feel this way? Why do they tolerate the pain, just to feel the happiness that rarely came along with it?

Riley was barely paying attention to Blush. She was trying so hard to ignore Spot's icy attitude tonight, but her thoughts were overpowering her.

A small and sharp pain hit her shoulder, and Riley snapped out of her daze to see a coin toppling onto the wooden floor from where it had hit her. "Penny for your thoughts?" Blush, the one who threw the coin at her, asked with a smirk.

Riley picked up the penny and threw it back at her. "You couldn't afford me," she retorted as Blush caught the penny and stuffed it back into her pocket.

"Got a lot on your mind?"

"Yes," Riley replied, rubbing her forehead. "I have a thousand penny's worth of thoughts running through my head at the moment."

Blush took a second to count on her fingers, then gave up counting and waved her hand dismissively. "I'm not good at the mathematics, but whatever amount of money that adds up to I doubt I could afford it," she bit her lip, "actually, I _know_ I couldn't afford it."

"So stop throwing your money around," Riley said with a small smile.

Blush shrugged her shoulders and leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table, cigarette in hand. "So does it hurt?" Blush asked, looking at the bruise on Riley's face.

"Well it sure as hell doesn't feel _good_," Riley replied, pressing her fingers tenderly on the spot.

They were sitting at one of the multiple tables in the room, with Riley facing away from Spot and the other boys. If Spot was going to ignore her she'd rather not watch while he did it.

"You're starting to look like one of us," Blush commented, smiling as she blew cigarette smoke out of her mouth and stubbed the rest of it out in the makeshift ashtray on the table. "Now we just gotta get you out of these dresses and into some newsie clothes."

Riley rolled her eyes. "Yeah right. I'd never be caught dead in those clothes - no offense," she added, glancing at the large white shirt that practically hung off of Blush's shoulder.

"Why not, miss priss? You'd look like a bonafide Brooklynite," Blush teased, leaning back on her chair.

"Oh good job, Blush - that's a _big_ _girl_ word." Riley shot back at her mockingly, her voice sarcastically upbeat.

Blush stifled a laugh, but stopped as she studied the people in the room over Riley's shoulder.

"Uhh, I have an idea, let's play cards!" Blush quickly suggested, with a slightly panicked smile plastered on her face. She started rambling nervously. "Oh, and hey, I have to talk to you about my stupid boyfriend. Blink visited me the other day, and-"

Riley put up her hand to silence her with an amused smile. "Hold it; you have a weird look on your face. What's going on?"

Blush raised her eyebrows innocently. "What do you mean? Nothing's going on."

"Let's be real - you aren't the type to talk about boyfriends," Riley replied skeptically. She noticed Blush's eyes briefly flashing over Riley's shoulder again. It seemed as though Blush was suddenly trying to distract her from something.

Riley scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion and turned in her seat to see what was going on. There was nothing out of the ordinary happening behind her. Spot was standing up, surrounded by his boys as usual...

"What are they doing?" Riley asked curiously.

"Who cares? Let's play cards," Blush answered, picking up the deck of cards from the table.

"Where are they going?" Riley asked, still twisted around in her seat.

"There's this new game Blink taught me, and -"

Riley ignored her and continued pondering what they were doing. Spot was grouping his boys around the front door. "Why would they all be going out at this time of night? It makes no-" Her eyes suddenly widened with surprise, realization hitting her like a brick to her stomach. Her reflexes were automatic, and her voice rose without any further thought. "No. No, Spot Conlon, _don't you dare_!" Riley yelled as got to her feet to face them, her actions so fast that her hair whipped in her face. "Get back here, Brooklyn! Right now!"

Spot paused in front of the door, his hand on his cane. "Dare what?" He asked, raising his eyebrows questioningly.

Riley saw all of the faces of his tough crew waiting for her to make a fool of herself yelling at their leader. But she knew exactly what was going on - she could feel it in her stomach. Her gaze darted back to Spot.

"I know what you're doing," she revealed, ignoring everybody else in the room and staring only at Spot. "You're going to Harlem, aren't you?"

This was why he had been acting so mellow, and avoiding her gaze all evening.

Spot rolled his eyes and brought a hand up to his face, using his fingers to pinch the bridge of his nose as if he were fighting off a headache. "Riley..." He moaned impatiently, putting a dark warning in his voice that told her he wasn't going to tolerate this. "I don't have time to play this game with you tonight."

"But wait a minute - can't we talk about this first?" She asked, fighting not to look at the dozens of people looking at her. "Please?"

Spot let his hand drop away from his face. He looked at her with eyes lit so bright and fierce that she almost lost her breath. "Riley," he repeated his warning, this time giving her the full power of his glare.

"You can't go," Riley insisted, his chilly eyes giving her goosebumps. "Can't I... can't I talk to you for just a minute? It's important."

"There's nothing to _talk_ about," Spot answered, his cheeks flushing red from the anger he was trying to restrain, all of the anger that he was trying to keep hidden so she wouldn't know about his plans for tonight. "Action speaks louder than words, and I have _a_ _lot_ to say to Jenkin for what his boys did. Go upstairs, Cardoni."

"I'm not going anywhere!" Riley argued. "You're not either - not until you think this through!"

Spike had his arms crossed, switching his glance from his leader to Riley. He had an ominous look on his face, sensing the oncoming fight. Spot was gripping the tip of his cane so tightly that the metal could've crumbled into pieces.

Riley knew that she was breaking all the rules by talking to him like this, but Spot was being too spontaneous. He couldn't go to Harlem again - not because of her. It wasn't worth it.

"_Riley_," she heard Blush whisper beside her. Blush was barely opening her lips as she spoke, desperate to stay out of her leader's rage. "I'm serious, he'll kill you, _stop talking_!"

Riley felt hot tears sting her eyes, and she fought to keep them back. She hated how emotional this was making her, and she hated crying. But he would kill the boys in Harlem, she knew he would. Riley was so angry that her hands were shaking. She was angry at Harlem, but angrier at Spot. He expected her to keep her mouth shut, but she couldn't. Didn't he know that? Didn't he understand that she was a part of this too?

Spot had looked away from Riley and was about to signal to his boys to follow him outside.

So Riley took a deep breath and said the one thing she was forbidden to say... The one thing that could turn Spot against her in a moments notice... Her only weapon against him...

"If you don't come and speak with me, Conlon..." she straightened her shoulders defiantly, "I'll talk about the murder. Do you really want to ignore me right now?"

She had spoken calmly, but her stomach tensed with fear as she waited for his reaction. Her voice had been inadvertently loud as the room became silent again, pulsating with the power of the words she had said out loud.

Riley had Brooklyn's protection because of their agreement that she'd keep her mouth shut about what she had witnessed. She knew it was an empty threat; she'd never betray Brooklyn, out of fear for her life, but she knew that this was the only thing that would force Spot to take her seriously.

It worked - Spot stood frozen in his position. He was facing away from her but turned around slowly, his eyes full of shock, almost daring her to say more. He looked ready to call her bluff, thinking that she'd shut up if she knew what was good for her. But Riley wasn't backing down.

"I swear to god, I'll do it," Riley warned, her jaw tensed. If this was what it took to make Spot listen, then she'd do it. "I'll talk about it to anybody who will listen... I'll tell them what I saw. I'll tell them about the man in the alley-"

"That's enough." Spot interrupted, a crazed look in his eyes as his long legs moved quickly to stand in front of her.

"I'm not afraid of you," Riley said, staring up at him defiantly. "You can't kill me, because I'm not some street kid with no family and no one to miss me. My family would find out, and you know that, Conlon. You know that I have that power over you, and you hate it."

Spot growled beneath his breath and circled behind her. She felt his breath on the side of her neck, but she kept her ground and didn't turn around to meet his gaze. It was a battle of power and she wasn't going to let him win, even as he was circling so close around her as if he were about to attack.

"You are going to talk to me," Riley demanded, hiding the chill that went down her spine when she felt Spot standing so close behind her. Her body was deceiving her and she felt even more resentful towards him for the desire she felt. It was infuriating. "I mean it, Conlon, I'll-"

Her sentence was cut off when Spot reached around from behind her and placed his hand along her collarbone just below her neck, pulling her so that her back was pressed firmly against his chest. He quickly leaned down so that his mouth was at her ear as he spoke menacingly. "I _said_ that's enough," Spot growled through his teeth, his strong arm keeping her back pressed against him.

Riley opened her mouth to speak, but Spot held her even tighter. "You're going to regret this," he whispered as a warning. Spot grabbed her forearm and spun her around so he could bring her up the stairs.

His warning was enough to make Riley nervous as they climbed the stairs, his grip never ceasing.

Spot let her go once they reached the empty bunkroom on the second floor, but at that point he looked so angry that he was about to burst.

"Are you stupid?" He yelled, staring at her in angry disbelief. "You don't _ever_ talk about what you saw that night, you understand? Never! I kept you safe because you were going to keep your mouth shut! Fuck, Cardoni, do you want me to change that arrangement? Is that what you want?"

"If you listened to me to begin with I would've never had to threaten you!"

Spot let out a frustrated yell and turned away from her, choosing to pace the floor in front of her instead. "I've warned you about staying in your place, and you're pressing your luck if you think I'll tolerate your bullshit right now! What the hell is _so_ important that you couldn't possibly wait to talk about it later?"

Riley stomped her foot on the ground. "Dammit, Spot, you're smarter than this!" She yelled, desperate to get through to him. "They're taking advantage of your weakness! Can't you see that?"

Spot stopped his pacing and glared at her, appalled with what she said. "Listen, princess, I _have_ no weaknesses."

Riley looked at the dangerous Brooklyn leader that stood in front of her and felt a jolt of pain run through her heart. He was so proud, so confident, so tough... But she couldn't help worrying about him. Spot Conlon was practically indestructible in this city; he was a legend on these streets. But Riley wasn't from Brooklyn, so she saw something that the others didn't see.

"But you do have a weakness! Even _I_ know that you do," Riley replied stubbornly. "You're smart, Spot - I mean, you control Brooklyn, for Christ's sake! - but you get _so_ distracted sometimes, so distracted that really obvious things become too blurry for you to see!"

Spot had his arms crossed over his chest, looking at her like she was just wasting his time with her words. Riley just hoped that he was listening, because he looked like he was losing his patience again.

"Think about it, Spot," Riley tried reasoning with him. "They knew that stepping foot in your Lodging House would piss you off, and they knew that you would want to kill them for coming after me and trying to make me turn on you," she met his eyes and became frustrated at his lack of response. "It's your _anger_, Conlon! Your anger is your weakness! You have too much pride and you can't control how angry you get when someone insults it!"

Riley could see that Spot was too fired up to care about what she had to say. He was staring at her with a look that she couldn't place, but his eyes were a dark swirl of gray and blue. He was hungry for the violence waiting for him out on the streets. She wasn't getting through to him at all.

"Fine." Riley gave up, throwing her hands in the air. "I know that you have to show Harlem who they're messing with, but..." her throat was suddenly dry, "maybe... maybe you're acting too soon. Maybe talking about it _rationally_ will make you more prepared, and it could make you feel better."

Riley knew immediately that it was the wrong thing to say.

"Listen, sweetface," Spot hissed, bending forward so that he was directly in her face. "I won't feel _any_ better unless I have some Harlem blood on my hands, you understand?"

He was breathing heavy as a result of his need to get his revenge. He was itching for a fight, and Riley knew that this was something she couldn't talk him out of. What power could a privileged girl from Staten Island have against the leader of the toughest borough in New York? It was hopeless.

Riley met his eyes with a defiant glare. "Then don't expect me to wait up tonight to watch you wash more blood off of your cane," she circled out of his way and stormed to the staircase leading to the third floor. She was on the first step when she turned around to face him, "oh, and another thing," her eyes stung with hot tears again but she fought to keep them back, "don't expect _me_ to feel guilty if you get distracted like you did last time. Remember what happened to _Jack_?"

The murderous look that was in Spot's eyes would petrify anybody, but Riley was so angry that it didn't affect her. She knew that what she had said was a low blow, considering how torn up he was about Jack getting hurt, but she didn't even care. She shot around and stomped up the remainder of the stairs, pounding her fist against the wall when she reached the third floor.  
Riley was too busy choking back her angry and frustrated tears to hear the voices of Brooklyn boys flooding onto the street below her. Spot Conlon, leader of Brooklyn, had his gold tipped cane clenched in his fist; leading the way to Harlem with vengeance in his heart.

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**  
Don't worry - this isn't the beginning to some huge tragedy. I'm not that kind of writer haha… However, the next chapter will have some major things going on. I updated really quick so I'm proud of myself! I look forward to hearing what you all think – thank you so much! Please, please, please review!**


	32. Questioning

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Newsies, but I own the others.**

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It was early. So early that the sun hadn't even broke through the darkness yet. Riley woke up with her eyes aching, a foreboding feeling in her stomach.

She had hoped that last night was just a nightmare. She had hoped that she'd wake up to Spot's strong gentle hand stroking her cheek this morning, like he had done before. She hoped, even prayed, that Spot really didn't go to Harlem last night, and that she may have imagined the whole thing.

But the dread in her stomach was all too real. Spot Conlon, leader of Brooklyn, _did_ go to Harlem last night... And her foolish attempt to stop him was a disaster.

The storage room was dark and quiet, and Riley remained paralyzed with worry, lying motionless on her flimsy mattress. Spot would be waking up soon. Any moment now she should hear him opening the door to his room down the hallway, walk past her door, and stomp down the stairs to make sure the other boys were awake to sell the headlines.

Riley knew that she must've woken up for this reason. Her subconscious self, a part of her that existed beyond her normal thoughts, woke her up to make sure that he was safe; to make sure that he made it back to his room last night.

Riley was still angry with herself. Yesterday morning Spot had been acting so normal, so calm, and she was foolish enough to fall for his act. He had been slowly boiling up inside; waiting for the moment where he could go to Harlem and get revenge. Because _nobody_ entered Conlon's territory without his knowledge. And _nobody_ stepped foot in his Lodging House behind his back.

And the thing that had made Spot even angrier was that they went after Riley.

Scar and Roy, she remembered their names. She remembered being asked to turn her back on Spot and help the Harlem leader, Jenkin. They had heard the story behind why she was at the Lodging House, and they knew that she had witnessed the murder of one of their own in that alley long ago.

Her refusal to turn traitor to Brooklyn made them angry, and Roy hit her. Spot was furious when he found out.

The events kept running through Riley's mind as the sky outside began turning a lighter shade of dark blue. The stars were disappearing, and the horizon began to turn pink. Time moved slowly, and the sun was now rising, but Spot hadn't walked past her door yet. If he was in his room she would've heard him leave by now.

Voices echoed up the stairs from the bunkroom on the floor below her. The Brooklyn boys were up. A few moments later she heard the front door to the Lodging House fling open. Riley scrambled to sit up in her bed and stared onto the street from her open window.

It was hard to make out the faces of the people walking out of the Lodging House from her third floor view in the semi-darkness of the morning.

The boys were leaving to go buy their papers. But why wasn't Spot in his room this morning? Where was he?

She slowly began to panic.

Then, accompanied with a feeling of weightlessness in her heart, Riley saw the breaking sun reflect off the gold tip of a cane.

He was back in Brooklyn. Spot Conlon was safe.

* * *

While her mind spinned with possibilities of what happened in Harlem last night, Riley finally got out of bed after several failed attempts to fall back asleep. She bathed, brushed out her hair, got dressed, grabbed a small pouch of money, and climbed slowly down the steps. The bunkroom on the second floor was empty, and the first floor seemed deserted as well.

She ate some fruit and bread for breakfast and stared at the kitchen. She decided to use more of her money this week to buy some more food for the Lodging House. Everyday things, like planning a trip to the market, was an escape from the horrifying things that kept entering her mind. She told Spot that she wanted nothing to do with his actions last night, but she was so anxious to know what had happened... And she scared of how he'd treat her today, especially after her disrespectful outburst last night, and how she threatened to go public with her information.

Riley heard a voice outside of the Lodging House. She opened the front door and saw one of Spot's boys selling his newspapers. It was Whip; one of the boys that was nice enough to speak to Riley when she first started staying with the Brooklyn newsboys. Unfortunately, Spot had found out, and he gave Whip a black eye as a reminder to everybody not to talk to her. That was a bad memory for her.

Whip glanced over his shoulder, saw Riley, then yelled another headline. He must've been the one who was ordered to stay with her today.

Should she ask him what happened last night? Riley knew that he wouldn't talk to her... He had been on the receiving end of his leader's fury once before from talking to her.

Without even bothering to say hello, Riley walked over to him and just gave him a small, hesitant smile. She decided to just act pleasant towards him.

"I know you've been put on 'watch' duty, but we can go across the street a little ways, right? I want to be by the water. It's so nice out today."

Whip didn't even respond; he just started walking to the docks without another glance her way.

This was crazy. These tough guys from Brooklyn were absolutely _petrified_ of upsetting their leader.

Riley stretched her arms in the air and looked around once they reached the pier. The dock workers were out, and the day was definitely going to be another hot one.

After a moment, Riley shielded her eyes from the sun and looked at Whip. "Can I read one of those?" She asked, gesturing to his stack of newspapers.

Whip ignored her and yelled another headline, taking a few steps away from her. Something about his attitude was definitely off.

"Fine," Riley huffed, opening her pouch of money. She walked forward and held out a coin. "I'll buy one."

Whip walked away further, avoiding her eyes as he sold a paper to one of the several dock workers. He was being stubborn - why wouldn't he sell her one?

Riley rolled her eyes and took out a quarter. She stood directly in front of him, blocking his way, and held it up to his face. "I just want one paper, then I'll be good and I won't give you any problems. Or I can wander off and find a newsie who doesn't know me who will sell me one."

Whip eyed the quarter. It was a considerable amount of money for a single paper, and Riley knew it would tempt him. At last, he pocketed the quarter and handed her the paper. Without a single word spoken, he nodded over to the entrance to the dock; telling her with his eyes to sit down on one of the crates and stay there.

"You're such a gentleman, Whip," Riley told him sarcastically before she walked away.

Riley went to the crate at the opening of the dock and sat down, her legs crossed at her knees and her back up against the pole behind her.

"This is getting ridiculous," Riley muttered to herself, throwing her long dark hair over her shoulder as she stared down at the newspaper.

She lost herself in the news of the day. Politics bored her immensely, so she ended up re-reading lines from the front page story again and again, her mind going into a daze before realizing that she had been reading without paying attention to what the words meant. President Theodore Roosevelt... blah blah blah... Ongoing war with the Philippines and their struggle for independence...

Struggles outside of New York City were of little importance in Riley Cardoni's world. Her conflict with Spot last night was fresh in her mind... She had waited to hear him wake up this morning, but he wasn't in his room... So why was he still awake when she saw him leave the Lodging House early this morning?

Riley sighed and shook her head, turning to the next page of the newspaper.

She knew that Spot never made it to his room because he had been in Harlem all night, doing God knows what. Her heart ached with the selfish knowledge that she had been _happy_ to see that he was okay this morning... But if he was unharmed then that must've meant that he was successful in hurting his targets in Harlem.

A headline on the right side of the second page caught her eye. One word, _**Harlem**_, stood out to her. A pain went through her chest, her eyes falling on every word of the headline, her head trying to piece them together. She read the line over and over again, thinking that her eyes were playing cruel tricks on her...

Riley sat up, her crossed legs numb as they hung over the side of the crate. She straightened the newspaper onto her knee, her hair pooling onto the page as she stared down at the bold words of the headline.

_**Bloody Body Found in Harlem; Corpse Unable to be Identified  
**_  
"Spot..." Riley gasped to herself.

She tried to read the story... She tried and tried and tried, but only bits and pieces stood out in her mind. _Body discovered late last night on the streets of Harlem... It has been released that the victim was a young man... He is unidentified at this time... Body badly beaten... Police baffled by the lack of clues or witnesses... Could be a part of a string of murders that have occurred this past summer... Chief of Police William Devery looking for people who may have more information on these killings...  
_  
Riley's grip on the page was so tight that her thumbs were black with ink.

* * *

It wasn't until later on in the evening, after the front door to the Lodging House opened and closed a hundred times to let in all of the other newsboys, that the door was finally opened by the leader.

Her stomach tensed up in that excitement you can only get when you set eyes on that one person you've been waiting to see all day. Despite the headline in the newspaper, Riley still couldn't help the way that she felt when she saw those hard gem-like eyes as he walked into the room. They still took her breath away. She hated that.

Spot nodded his head at the several greetings he received from his crew, his eyes holding no expression except for his usual arrogance.

He was quickly skimming the room when he saw Riley. She stood up from her chair and he raised his eyebrows daringly.

Slowly, he adjusted the hat on his head and walked deeper into the room. The direction he was going was just adjacent to where Riley was standing, so he'd be passing her to get to a table that Spike was sitting at.

He was only a few feet away from her when his steps slowed almost to a stop. Her nerves were causing her hands to shake. She needed to find out exactly what happened in Harlem. Riley parted her lips, taking in a breath so that she could speak to him...

But just then Spot held up his cane, the gold tip inches away from her face. "No," he ordered, stopping her from speaking. He was now staring so deep and menacingly into her eyes, all his attention on her, that she quickly shut her mouth.

Riley narrowed her eyes, caught off-guard by his firmness. "No?"

"No," Spot repeated his demand, gripping the cane tightly as he moved it closer to her face, his tone so simple and taunting that it was infuriating.

Riley scoffed in disbelief. "Your name is _Spot_ and you treat _me_ like a dog?" She swatted the cane away from her face, "and keep that stick away from me; it makes me sick to even look at it."

Sliding his cane back into his belt loop, Spot went back to ignoring her and walked over to the table Spike was now sitting at.

What the hell was he doing? It was like he knew that she had something big to say, but he just didn't want to hear it. Riley pushed back her hurt pride and followed him. "I know what you did last night, Conlon," she said as she walked quickly to catch up to him.

Spot nonchalantly sat down, rolling a cigarette and then patting his pockets for a light.

He waited a moment before he replied. "No shit," he said sarcastically, still searching for a match.

Riley started to get aggravated with his attitude, and it was making her impatient that he wasn't caring to look at her. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.

He lazily went back to searching his pockets. Riley finally got fed up with him for not looking at her, and she uncrossed her arms impatiently. "What are you doing?" She demanded.

He blinked for a moment and paused in his search. "Getting a match," he replied in an obvious tone.

"Why!" Riley asked in disbelief. She still couldn't believe his calmness. Didn't he realize what she was talking about? He should be worried about the newspaper article, not a match!

Spot's eyes were wide with confusion as he took in her reaction; he looked at her like she had three heads. He exchanged a strange look with Spike, then held up the unlit cigarette in his hand.

"Well, cigarettes get lit by this thing called 'fire' and -"

"I know what a match does!" Riley snapped. She massaged her temple with her fingers to fight her oncoming headache.

Spike managed to find a match and struck it on the table, holding it out to light Spot's cigarette. Spike had an amused smirk on his face. Spot seemed to share the same expression as he took a drag from his cigarette.

"So then," - the smoke escaped from Spot's mouth as he talked - "what are you yelling about exactly?"

"There was a dead body found in Harlem, Spot!" She unfolded the page of the newspaper in her hand, held it up, and flicked the headline, "a _dead_ _fucking body_!"

Spot rolled his eyes, his words coming out slowly. "You know, girls shouldn't swear," (Riley threw up her hands in frustration) "It's unattractive," he finished, taking another drag of his cigarette.

She hated, _hated_, whenever he said that to her.

"You murdered somebody last night!" Riley yelled accusingly.

Spot stood up so quickly that it startled her. He leaned down so he was face to face with her. "And _you_ swore you wouldn't wait up last night to find out - so be a good girl, Riley, and shut your damn mouth."

"But the police, they -"

"I've heard enough talk from you about police, Cardoni," Spot said sternly. He was of course referring to her threats from last night. It was the only way she could get him to listen to her before he left for Harlem.

She knew this conversation wasn't going to work right now. "You haven't heard the end of this from me," Riley warned. She turned to leave. As she walked away Spot held out his cane, causing her to trip over it. She caught her balance and was fuming while Spike stifled a laugh. Spot was definitely mad at her. Without another glance back at him she stormed off, saving all of her anger for a talk she was sure that they'd be having later when he was acting a little bit more mature.

* * *

Later on that night Riley heard two sharp knocks on the storage room door. She had been expecting him, but the knocks seemed loud and impatient, and they startled her anyway.

"Let's get this over with," Spot told her when she opened the door. "There's something I gotta say."

Riley walked out into the hallway and faced him. Spot pressed his back against the hallway wall; he stood with his legs crossed casually and his hat pulled low over his eyes. His fingers were playing with the shiny gold tip of his infamous cane. He wasn't looking at her.

"I think you're growing too comfortable with me, Cardoni," he stated calmly, staring down at the cane he was holding in his belt loop. "I haven't been keeping you on your toes; you've grown a false sense of security here-"

Riley interrupted him, "that's not true-"

"I'm not done," Spot cut her off, showing no movement except for his fist suddenly gripping his cane, his eyes still hidden and looking down. "You have this little fantasy world that you've created in your head, and it's about time I got rid of it."

"A fantasy world?" Riley spat back at him, caught off guard by this accusation.

"That's what I said," he confirmed solemnly, his eyes still in the shadows of his hat.

Riley's eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. "I don't know where you come up with this stuff, Conlon!" she responded, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "I know the difference between real and fantasy, and I live in the same damn world as you do! Don't treat me like some child, who wears ribbons in her hair and plays '_make-believe_' with her imaginary friends."

"I meant that you _pretend_ that Brooklyn isn't capable of all of the things you're scared of. If you knew all the things I've done I doubt you'd be so brave to pull that stunt you did the other night, threatening me in front of my boys." Spot finally tilted his head up so she could see his eyes under the brim of his hat. He looked at her with eyes so cold and distant that it physically hurt her inside. "You thought I'd let that slide?" He asked when he saw her get nervous. "You thought I'd forget about you bringing up the punk we killed in that alley? Threatening to talk about it?"

"I regret doing that, okay?" Riley admitted. "I just wanted to talk to you. I thought I could reason with you. I thought I could talk some sense into you before you went to Harlem like some maniac!"

Spot sighed in impatient disappointment. "You got this idea in your head that I got a good heart on the inside, but how many times do I need to remind you? I'm dangerous. I don't need anybody to get in the way of how I run these streets. You think I'm some softy but believe me, doll - you shouldn't trust me."

"This conversation_ again_?" Riley moaned to herself in exasperation, her hand irritably rubbing her forehead.

"Yeah, again," Spot said angrily. "I fucking tell you over and over, Riley, but I can see _right_ through you. Whatever image you have of me in your head is false. I'm not the good guy. And sometimes, when I'm selling, I yell out _my own_ headlines; ones that _I_ make, like today and that Harlem headline."

Riley stared at him. She knew he was right; she had been convinced there was another side to Spot Conlon that held something positive. She had overanalyzed every good moment that she'd had with him in the past. The truth was that Spot Conlon was a cold and manipulative person who was in charge of the dangerous streets of a borough just as deadly as he was.

"I've tried protecting you," Spot continued, carelessly shrugging his shoulders. "But I've realized that there are some stuff I can't protect you from."

"What do you mean?" Riley breathed, trying to understand what he meant.

"Me," he answered arrogantly, his gray-blue eyes looking deep into hers, his agitation growing. "I can't protect you from myself when you step out of line, and I can't protect you from doing something stupid like underestimating me."

"I wasn't underestimating you last night, Spot," Riley told him. "I was just trying to talk some sense into you! You were going to do something stupid - and you did!"

His expression flashed with anger. "You've always known exactly what I'm capable of. Did you think I was gonna sit back and let Harlem disrespect my part of the city without consequences?"

"No, I - "

"And you really think I'd let that guy live after he hit you?" Spot bellowed, his cheeks red.

"He was an asshole but he didn't deserve to die!"

Spot snorted out a taunting and humorless laugh. "C'mon, you've seen with your own eyes what I do, woman! So if you wanna pretend that I'm some punk that doesn't get revenge for what happens in my borough, then that's _your_ mistake, kid." His raging blue eyes became intent. "But the next time you try to stop me from doing my job, especially in front of my boys, I'll teach you a lesson that'll remind you _why_ I'm in charge of these streets - do you understand?"

Spot Conlon looked more like the ruthless leader that he was than he had ever looked before. His steely gaze never left her eyes; she was frozen under it; she couldn't look away, even though her insides wrenched at each word that left his mouth.

"So here's another lesson for you, Cardoni," Spot continued on, his power making the atmosphere in the room pulse, his voice cutting through the air like a knife. "_Don't_, under any circumstances, get in my way when I got business to take care of. Like I said, you're getting too comfortable with me, and that's the stupidest thing you could do around here."

"Dammit, Conlon, you drive me crazy," Riley blurted out through her gritted teeth. "And you know what? I still want to _slap you_ when I think about how you got me stuck in this Lodging House in the first place."

"Yea? That a fact?" Spot mused, not taking her words seriously. He went back to playing with the tip of his cane to distract himself.

"I'm serious!" Riley yelled. "So here's a newsflash, Conlon - this is all _your_ fault. Keep that in mind the next time you piss me off!"

"Yeah?" Spot asked sarcastically, an amused smirk tugging on the corner of his lips. "It's all my fault?"

"Yes!" Riley yelled. "You couldn't just leave me alone, could you? You had to track me down and ruin my life!"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, _princess_, but aren't you the one who got into a fight with your 'best friend' and got kicked out of that apartment?"

"I got into a fight with her over you, dummy! Because you came to the apartment drunk, acting like you owned the place-"

"Technically, I do own the place," Spot interrupted, smirking to himself. "Not on paper, of course, but if it's Brooklyn, it's mine."

"You don't own everything and everybody in Brooklyn just because people are scared of you," she told him.

"My streets, my rules," Spot said. "And watch what you say, beautiful... You're in my part of the city. I'm in charge of _you_ too."

"Since when did you become God?" Riley replied, exasperated. "You decide who is happy, sad, lives, DIES? You're a gangster, that's all you are!"

Spot took that comment very seriously. A flush of anger colored his face and a glint of blue fire came to his eyes. He pushed off from the wall he was leaning on and took a step closer. "He came into Brooklyn, walked into my Lodging House..."

"Scar did too, but you didn't kill _him_!"

"He took off a few days ago," Spot argued, disgust in his voice. "The son of a bitch knew I'd be coming for him, so he ran away like a pansy and is hiding out from me. It's fucking pitiful."

Riley took a step back, standing against the wall behind her. "It's their turn to come here now, don't you realize that? Doesn't that make you nervous? Aren't you worried about who they'll kill to get back at you? It could be anybody!" Riley exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. "One of the kids, or Blush, or Spike, or any of the other guys who would do anything for you just because you're _Spot Conlon_! It makes me sick how you manipulate everybody you come into contact with!"

In one swift movement, Spot opened the palm of his hand and slammed it against the wall behind her. The old wood wall of the Lodging House shook, and she was startled so much that her whole body flinched.

"You're done talking," Spot told her. It wasn't a request. "You have no idea how frustrating you are to me, Cardoni," he sneered in her face. "You get under my skin and it makes me fucking _crazy_.."

"That's funny," Riley replied coolly, staring defiantly up at him, "because I could say the same thing about you."

Surpringly, Spot smirked at this; effectively calming him. Then something changed. He licked his bottom lip and glanced down to her mouth as he used a finger to move her long hair behind her ear.

Shit. He was doing it again. He was making her knees weak, her head spin, her cheeks hot... She tried to remind herself that she was mad at him. She tried to look away from him.

"You know what I hate?" Spot asked, his voice so low that it was deep and raspy. "Something else that frustrates me?"

Riley swallowed, trying to keep her breathing normal. "What?"

"That I have a girl like _you_ sleeping here," Spot said slyly. He moved his body closer. "...But not in my bed with me."

She tried backing away, but she was already against the wall. "That's where girls usually sleep when they stay the night here, right?" Riley asked vindictively, her voice bitter.

She saw the trace of a smug smile on his lips, but he didn't give her an answer. Instead he continued softly rubbing her earlobe between his thumb and index finger.

But then a stronger feeling came over her... Spot Conlon was a womanizer; he knew what he was doing to her, and he knew how easy it was for him take control of her. She wasn't the first girl to feel like this. He had done this a million times before, and she knew that he had probably had his hands on other woman while she sat at home waiting for him all these nights. Someone as desirable as Spot was used to all the female attention he got when he was out on the streets that he ran with an iron fist.

Then another thing came to her mind. Spot really was dangerous. He had even threatened to get rid of _her_ if she ever gave him a reason to. She knew too much about his violent lifestyle already. Her foolish heart had made her blind to all of this.

She wasn't special to him at all. They weren't in any type of relationship. She was just Riley Cardoni, a girl that was in way over her head in a world that she wasn't brought up in. Riley wasn't street smart, especially in love; and she wasn't emotionally strong enough to handle all of this. What was she doing? Why was she fooling herself?

She was just a convenience to him. He didn't think of her the way that she thought of him, and she could slowly feel herself breaking up inside because of it. Why does she let him do this? She swore she wouldn't be this stupid and fall for him. She swore she wouldn't lose herself in his beautiful eyes like everyone else. Why was she pretending that everything was perfect in her mind whenever he wanted to kiss her, when in reality none of it meant anything?

Spot wet his bottom lip again and leaned down to capture her lips with his own. He moved his hand to the back of her head, tangling his fingers in her long hair and pulling her face closer.

It's easy to close your eyes and lose yourself in the moment when you're with somebody who makes you feel genuinely happy. But when you open your eyes again, when you don't have that happiness anymore, you're left with an empty feeling. You're left feeling foolish for pretending that things were the way you wanted them to be. You're left feeling used, with no ounce of respect left inside of you.

Spot knew that with every kiss he was getting closer to leaving Riley completely powerless. Every touch of his lips left her craving him even more.

The panic overpowered her. She moved her hands to his chest and pushed him away.

Spot scrunched his eyebrows together in confusion, then demandingly leaned down to kiss her again.

She couldn't let him do this. It was the hardest thing she ever had to do, but Riley turned her head to the side and sidestepped away from him.

"What the fuck?" Spot spat, not used to that type of rejection from any girl.

Riley ran both her hands through her hair and gripped it at the top of her head. Her mind was spinning. "I just, I can't do this right now..."

Spot looked like he was about to argue, but then a cold and superior look came to his face. His expression went from anger to resentment. He wasn't going to let her get away with hurting his pride without making her hurt as well. "Whatever. Not _my_ problem. You're not the only girl in Brooklyn," he said carelessly.

The empty feeling in her heart panged with hurt. She didn't know if he said that because he meant it or if he said it because he was hurt. "Spot, wait," Riley begged him, grabbing his arm as he stormed by.

"What?" Spot barked impatiently. "Damn, woman, what? What do you want?"

She stared up at him pleadingly, hoping for him to understand. But he showed no sign of wanting, or caring, to understand. No, Spot was not hurt... He wasn't capable of hurting like she was...

"I'm just so confused. I'm not used to this, any of this," Riley rambled, her words running together. "There are so many things running through my head."

Spot rolled his eyes and roughly grabbed both sides of her face with his hands. "Know what your problem is? You think too much, Cardoni. You argue and fight with me saying that you're strong enough to live in _my_ Brooklyn, but you can't act on it! I can't afford to keep you around if you can't handle it. So make up your mind - are you the little rich girl from Staten Island who needs to go home to Mommy and Daddy, or are you not?"

It felt like those piercing eyes were staring straight into her soul, searching for answers. He held her face, breathing deeply to control his temper. Out of all of their conversations, this one question was the most important of them all.

But Riley never got the chance to answer him.

A startlingly loud BANG came up to the third floor from all the way down in the common room. It was so loud that Riley's whole body jumped, and Spot immediately let go of her face.

Riley was barely recovered from the near-heartstopping moment when Spot bolted into action and ran down the stairs. Her heartbeat was fast and her adrenaline was pumping as she followed his footsteps. He was already out of sight.

She ran down both flights of stairs so fast that it was all a blur. But when she finally got to the first floor she was stopped suddenly by a strong pair of arms that were standing by the bottom step.

There was yelling; everything was loud and hectic. Newsboys scattered around. The strong arms that were wrapped around her waist held her firm and tight, keeping her by the stairs.

Riley felt numb - everything was in slow motion. This was it. Harlem had come. They were going to fight right here, in the common room. It was their turn to kill somebody.

Then, an unfamiliar voice was yelling from across the room... She thought she heard her name... The arms around her squeezed tighter.

She slowly began to comprehend what the unfamiliar voice was saying...

"Back up, back up! We are here on a tip - we just want Riley Cardoni! We know she's staying here. Young girl, long brown hair... _Back up_!"

The Brooklyn boys were on guard, instinctively getting into a fighting mode after their front door was kicked in.

But then Riley realized what the confusion was about. This _wasn't_ Harlem. These were cops.

And they were looking for her.

"Devery," Riley heard someone sneer behind her ear. She turned her head and saw Spot. He was the one who had grabbed her and held on tight when she ran down the steps. He wasn't looking at her - instead he was glaring straight ahead, his eyes intent on a man in a dark and official looking coat, two rows of buttons running down the front and a badge over the right breast pocket. He wore a stiff hat with an intricate design of gold metal on the front; the word 'chief' set in the middle.

This man that Spot was glaring at scanned the room until he caught sight of Spot and Riley by the staircase. He stepped forward, in front of the other police officers.

Spike looked at Spot for guidance. The police had kicked in the door, but they certainly couldn't fight the police. It was unusual for the Brooklyn boys to be bossed around. They never had to deal with police before; generally the cops stayed away from them, turning a blind eye.

But now all of the other boys had followed the eyes of Spike and this one police officer staring at Spot, and now everybody was looking at their leader. The commotion had come to a stand-still. All eyes were on Spot Conlon as he stood protectively by Riley.

"Mr. Conlon," the man with the chief hat said in a greeting.

"Devery," Spot repeated the name, this time loud enough for the room to hear.

"I do apologize for the intrusion," Devery said with an unapologetic smile, his bushy mustache practically covering his top lip.

Spot let go of his steel-like grip around Riley and gestured to the front door that was crowded with Devery's fellow officers. "Don't apologize, just fix the door," Spot said rudely, his voice monotone.

Devery chuckled, but it wasn't in a friendly way. "Staying out of trouble, I presume?"

"I don't know, old man, what about you?" Spot asked bitingly.

Riley had no idea what was going on, or why Spot was speaking to this man so rudely, especially since he was a cop.

"We're here for a young girl that we're told has been staying here," Devery said, his eyes flicking to Riley. "Riley Cardoni."

Spot stood behind her and put his hand protectively on her hip. "What do you want, Devery?"

The man ignored Spot and kept his eyes on Riley. "Good evening, young lady. My name's William Devery, Chief of Police. I'm here to take you to the station to ask you some questions. We certainly have a lot to talk about."

"What do you mean?" Riley asked, her voice a lot softer than she intended.

"We went to a residence a few blocks from here where your old boss at the Romano Lounge said you were living. It took some asking around to find out that you've been sleeping here for some time. Do your parents know about this?"

For a moment Riley felt relieved. Good, at least he hadn't told her parents. But then why was he looking for her?

"Why were you speaking to Mr. Romano?" Riley asked, avoiding the question about her parents.

"We'll get to that later. At this time I must ask you to come with us so we can continue this conversation elsewhere."

Spot let out a laugh. "She's not going anywhere," he said condescendingly to the Police Chief.

Devery raised an eyebrow as he stared at the Brooklyn leader. "May I remind you, Mr. Conlon, that I'm the Chief of Police, and if I say she's coming with me then she _will_ be coming with me."

Spot smirked dangerously. "Yeah, I heard all about you being appointed to Chief of Police. So the courts overturned your convictions from when you were captain, huh?"

Devery fumed. Obviously there was more to the relationship between Spot Conlon and the Chief of Police that met the eye.

"We're here on a tip about some recent murders around the city," Devery said, which wiped the smirk off Spot's face. "I don't know what you're doing with the girl, Conlon, but she's coming in for questioning. I suggest you back away before I have you arrested for interfering with my investigation."

Riley found it difficult to breathe. Her knowledge of Spot Conlon and his activities in Brooklyn were coming back to bite her. There was nothing she could do about it - she had to go with them.

The tension in the room was overwhelming. None of this added up. How did Spot know the Chief of Police? What did they know about Riley? What if they contacted her parents? What had Bonnie told them when they came looking for Riley at the apartment? Who tipped the police off about her?

Spot's hand tightened around her wrist in a warning, but she stepped out of his grasp and walked stiffly towards the Chief. Devery had a vengeful smile on his face. It scared her.

She couldn't find the nerve to look at all of the faces that she passed. She couldn't handle the threatening look in their eyes; all of them worried that she'll rat them out.

But the stupidest thing she did was turn to look back into the room when she reached the front door. Spot was still standing by the stairs. The look he gave her was petrifying. His eyes were like ice, his jaw set, and his fists clenched at his sides. He didn't trust her. Brooklyn was his number one priority and he risked that by keeping her around.

Riley's mouth went dry with fear. At that moment she knew that she was a hundred times more scared of Spot Conlon than she was of William Devery…

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Long update to make up for the long wait! So what do you think? Your feedback is the best part of updating so please drop me a line and let me know your reaction to this chapter! As always, it helps me with what I'm going to write next. Thanks for the support, and thanks to all my readers!


	33. Drastic Changes

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Newsies, but I own the others.**

**A/N - Sorry for all the typos!**

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Riley Cardoni kept repeating the same thing in her head over and over again as she was walked out of the Lodging House: T_his can't be happening, this can't be happening, please god, this CAN'T be happening..._

Her hands were nervously gripped in front of her as she entered the police station, Police Chief William Devery beside her. She was led into a grand office with a large mahogany desk and sat down on one of the chairs beside it.

Despite the situation she was in, and despite her urge to focus, Riley still couldn't get her last image of Spot out of her mind. All of his past threats came to her memory - if she messed this up Spot would make sure she paid for it.

Chief Devery had a kind smile on his face but it didn't reach his eyes. He made his way to the other side of the desk to take a seat. "Miss Cardoni, once again I'd like to apologize for-"

"Please just tell me what this is about," Riley cut him off. She saw his smile falter. "Sir." She added quickly, realizing how rude she sounded. It certainly wasn't a good idea to anger the Chief of Police.

William Devery motioned to another officer to close the door so they could be alone.

Riley took a nervous breath. What could he possibly want with her? She didn't want anything to do with Spot's problems. She tried to swallow but her throat felt dry.

"How do you know Mr. Conlon?" He asked, folding his hands on his desk once the door was shut.

"Through a friend of mine," Riley answered faintly. She wanted to kick herself when she heard how wary she sounded. "Well, I mean... I know him, yes, but I thought everybody knew Spot Conlon around here."

Chief Devery gave her a stern look. "I brought you here because there was a murder outside of your old job, on a night that you were working. Not long after that you were fired by the owner because of an altercation involving Mr. Conlon. I rescued you from their Lodging House this evening because I think you could help us with some unanswered questions."

"Rescued me?" Riley asked, her eyebrows rose. "I'm sorry, sir, but you don't understand - I wasn't in trouble."

"Don't put yourself in danger, Riley," Devery warned, cutting to the chase. His eyes were scrutinizing her. "You don't know who you're dealing with."

"But I honestly don't know what danger you're speaking of," she lied.

"So you deny living with these Brooklyn newsboys?" Devery responded. He looked triumphant with this piece of information.

Riley opened her mouth to respond, then closed it again. Should she lie? Would admitting that make her look suspicious? Would denying it make it look like she had something to hide?

Devery cleared his throat. "Perhaps your parents should know about this..."

"No!" Riley blurted out, unable to control her panic. "Please, officer, my parents have nothing to do with this. And I have nothing to do with Spot and what you think he does. I only know him - that's it."

Chief Devery pulled a pile of newspaper clippings from a drawer and spread them across the desk. They all held headlines like "Two Found Dead in Late Night Attack" or "Violence Continues; Brutal Beatings On New York City Streets" ... All of them were ominous looking, and Riley knew that all of them must be tied to Spot's ongoing conflict with Harlem.

"So all of these-" he gestured with his hand to the several newspaper clippings in front of her "-mean nothing to you?"

Riley ripped her gaze from the frightening headlines and looked up at the Chief of Police. "No, sir."

"And you haven't been sleeping in a Lodging House with the offenders of these numerous crimes?"

Riley bit her lip for a moment, trying to buy some time by pretending she was distracted by the newspaper clippings in front of her.

"You don't need to protect them, Miss Cardoni," Devery pried, trying to make eye contact.

Riley looked up from the articles once he said that. "I'm not protecting _anybody_, and I'm still confused as to why you think I can help you," she replied, her stomach clenching nervously. "I'm sorry that I can't offer you any assistance with your investigation, sir, but-"

Devery slammed his fist on the large desk, causing Riley to jump in her seat and some of the newspaper clippings to scatter. "I'm not playing games here, Miss Cardoni," he scolded her angrily. "This is serious police business, and it's your duty to cooperate or else you could get in serious trouble, young lady. Is it worth it?" He asked, his cheeks flushing with agitation. "Give this some serious thought, and start answering me honestly. This is a case that I've been working on for quite some time now so don't mistake me for a fool."

Riley felt her breath quicken as the room closed in around her How could she be so stupid to get herself involved with something so dangerous? If she cooperated with Devery she knew that Spot and the rest of Brooklyn would get revenge. She knew that Spot wouldn't hesitate to get rid of her, for good. And a part of her knew that she couldn't snitch on him because she cared about him, even though she didn't want to care so much.

Chief Devery let out a long sigh. "I don't think that a young lady of your class should be caught up in matters like these," he reached out to the telephone on his desk and tapped the receiver for an operator as he spoke. "Mr. Romano, the owner of that lounge you worked at, gave me the information I'd need to reach your father if it was indeed true that you were no longer living with that friend of yours. You're new to this borough and I think it's about time we get your parents involved."

Riley watched him as he lifted the ear piece to his ear. She fought the urge to cry out. She slouched back in her seat, feeling defeated. This was it. Her life in Brooklyn was over. She'd be sent back to her parents in Staten Island, never allowed to be free again... Back to her boring life under her parents watchful eyes... Following their rules, and their plans for her...

Riley thought of Spot, and all the newsies back at the Lodging House. She'd never see them again. She'd never see Spot Conlon again... Her heart broke, thinking of how addicted she was to his presence, to his touch... He was difficult, and stubborn, and dangerous, but she knew so much more about him. He _did_ have another side to him, no matter how hard he fought to hide it...

Just then there was a knock on the door, and Riley let out the breath that she had been holding. An officer walked in nervously, scared that he was interrupting his boss.

"What is it?" Devery barked, furious at the interruption, gripping the ear piece to the telephone.

Then Riley gasped quietly. A girl walked in behind the officer. She was wearing a pale yellow dress under a thin and elegant shawl, her blonde hair pinned up in the back under a hat, and her shoes clicking on the hardwood floor as she walked. She was beautiful, as always, and Riley had never been so happy to see her old best friend. But what the hell was she doing here?

Then Riley caught a glimpse of something in her old friends eye, and she knew that after all this time Bonnie had finally come to her rescue.

"I was getting worried when you didn't come home, Riley!" Bonnie said, a little too dramatically. "Mr. Chase, the baker next door, told me he saw you walk into the police station so I came to see if you were alright!"

Riley tried not to smile in amusement. She knew this was a ridiculous lie - the Brooklyn boys must have gotten her and Jack involved, telling them about the Police Chief's surprise visit to the Lodging House. Bonnie was helping her.

Chief Devery hung up the phone, confusion on his face. "Come home?" He repeated Bonnie's words cautiously.

"Yes, she was visiting some friends and never came home. What happened? You're not in trouble, are you Riley?" Bonnie asked with worry.

Chief Devery's eyes switched between the two girls. Riley couldn't speak - she just gripped her hands together and waited. He couldn't call her father if Bonnie was here claiming that Riley was indeed living back at the apartment. His story was unraveling.

"Riley is not in trouble," Devery finally responded. He looked like he was finding it hard to control his anger and disappointment. "I was just asking her questions about a recent string of violence in -"

Bonnie cut him off. "That's ridiculous, what would Riley know about that?" She asked, composed and refined but with an edge to her voice. "We have dinner with my uncle and we are going to be late. Is this going to take much longer, officer?" She asked sweetly.

And that was it. The rest fell into place. To be honest, Riley blanked out on the rest of the details - she was too relieved to pay attention.

It was all a blur as Chief Devery dismissed Riley from his office, his eyes suspiciously following her as they walked out of the station. It all seemed surreal. Riley was sure that she'd been caught.

Once safely outside and a block away from the station, Riley thought it'd finally be safe to break the uncomfortable silence.

"What just happened?" She asked Bonnie, her voice shaking.

Before Bonnie could reply, Jack appeared from a nearby alley and jogged up to them.

"Good," he commented, seeing that Riley was safe out of the police station. "Hurry, let's get back to the apartment and we'll talk then."

"Jack?" Riley said his name like she was beyond happy to see him, but confused at the same time.

He smirked. "You lucked out, sweetheart," he told Riley as he flung a shoulder around his girlfriend, Bonnie. "But it ain't over yet - just walk fast, both of ya."

Riley had a million questions but kept her mouth shut and quickened her pace.

Once they reached the apartment Riley bombarded them with her questions. Apparently Spot had sent a younger newsboy to run to Bonnie's apartment. Luckily Jack was there when he arrived. On their way to the police station Bonnie was filled in on the story, all of it, including why Riley was involved with Spot in the first place.

And somehow, Bonnie was speaking to her. In fact, she seemed more concerned than angry.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Bonnie demanded. "Why didn't you tell me about what you saw in that alley? I would never have gotten mad at you, and you would've never had to live with Spot!"

"I didn't want you to know!" Riley yelled. "You shouldn't know any of this - it puts you in danger! It's the same reason why Jack didn't tell you! Now the Chief of Police is after all the information he can get, and he went after _me_ - why would I want you to be involved with it too?"

Bonnie sighed. "Riles, I'm sorry I got mad at you... I thought you were interested in Spot. Jack didn't tell me anything - I had no idea," Bonnie gave Jack a reproachful look, then turned back to Riley. "I thought you were going behind my back. I thought you broke your promise."

Riley bit her lip and chose not to reply. She _did_ break her promise to Bonnie, didn't she? It wasn't her fault in the beginning, but she was definitely interested in Spot... Riley felt like she still couldn't tell her best friend the truth. Bonnie was forgiving her and she didn't want to ruin it.

But her drama with Bonnie was overshadowed by her confusion about William Devery. She couldn't fight the feeling that something more was behind their rivalry. She knew that Spot Conlon was trouble, but the police never seemed to bother him about it. It was strange, now that she thought about it...

As always, curiosity was getting the best of Riley. She was about to ask for more information about Devery, but then for the second time that night, Riley heard a knock. Except this time the knock sounded more like someone was pounding on the door of the apartment. All three of them looked at the door hesitantly.

Jack, being unusually quiet this evening, stood up to get it.

Before the door opened Riley somehow knew that it was the leader of Brooklyn knocking on the door. She got the urge to run and hide; she couldn't predict what he'd say to her.

Sure enough, Spot Conlon was standing in the doorway.

His eyes scanned the room and finally found a very pale Riley sitting on the couch, legs tucked underneath her and hugging a pillow to her chest. She caught a quick glimpse of the business-like expression on his face, but he was already on the move. Without speaking a word to Jack, Spot shot across the room and was suddenly beside her; his hands grabbing both sides of her face so he could study her.

"Are you okay?" He asked sternly the second he reached her. Riley nodded in his grasp, trying to ignore the angry spark hidden in his eyes. He spoke quickly in questions. "Did he threaten you?" - she shook her head 'no'- "Are you hurt?" - again, she shook her head - "You're sure you're alright?"

Riley nodded, overwhelmed that he looked so furious, yet so uncharacteristically concerned...

Spot stopped questioning and narrowed his eyes, waiting for her to elaborate on her answer.

"I'm _okay_, Spot," she insisted. "I am. I promise."

Spot studied her face a moment longer, then finally let his hands fall from her face when he seemed satisfied with her answer. His concerned look quickly left his face, and now he looked at her more severely.

Riley's stomach tightened. He had checked to see that she was okay, but now she knew that there was more to his visit. Every time she blinked she could see that deadly expression that was on his face when she was taken from the Lodging House, but now it was right in front of her. The silence was too much for her to handle...

Jack saw the change in Spot's expression and intervened. "She didn't say anything, Spot," Jack assured him, leaning back on his chair. "Devery is probably pissed that he didn't get what he wanted."

Spot ripped his eyes from Riley as if he just realized that he was glaring at her. He cracked his knuckles and stared down at the floor. Bonnie looked from Spot to Jack, her hands clung nervously together on her lap. Riley studied Spot from the corner of her eye.

"Spot," Riley spoke up. "You know the police chief, and he knows you really well... Why does he hate you? What happened?"

She blurted out the question and immediately regretted it. She just wanted to postpone him yelling at her.

Spot let out an angry sigh, almost like a growl, and stood up to pace the room. He was still gripping his knuckles, as if he was trying to control himself.

Jack opened his mouth first. "All you need to know is that Spot and Devery used to be in 'business' together, ain't that right, Spot?"

Spot let out a humorless laugh. "Business," he snorted. "That's a fucking joke."

"What kind of business?" Riley asked.

"Speaking of _business_ - is this any of your business, woman?" He snapped. "Leave it."

"Actually, I think it _is_," Riley responded. "The cop that has a grudge against you just forced me to get involved, so I deserve to know!"

Spot gripped the tip of his cane and snapped around to face Riley, fury in his bright eyes.

"Tell her, Spot," Jack intervened again, standing up and holding an arm out just in case Spot lost his temper and stormed across the room. "Just tell her."

Spot gripped his cane tighter and met Riley's gaze, but then finally gave in. He spoke with a clenched jaw, pacing by the window. "We used to run the boxing on the streets - the old leader around here set it up; lots of bets would come in, a decent amount of money. None of us would get the earnings, of course. Devery would get the money, and in return he'd let us do what we want. He was just a regular cop back then," Spot stopped his pacing and leaned against the wall in the corner of the room. "You see, you don't get that in other boroughs. Ask Jack - he'll tell ya how the coppers are on his ass constantly. His boys are always dodging them. Newsies are street rats, nothing but trouble."

"The boys that grow up on the streets of this city are the hardest and toughest that New York has to offer," Jack added proudly. "We do stuff just to keep on living, selling papers gets us money for a bed and a roof over our heads."

"But see, _Devery_ understood that," Spot continued. "The old man used to turn a blind eye as long as he got paid."

"Then he got caught," Jack said. "The sucker was put on trial for bribery and extortion, but he got off."

"And he managed to get promoted," Spot said, spite pouring from his voice. "He's looking to improve his image by fucking with us now, I bet."

"Perfect timing for his promotion, huh?" Jack inquired as a side note to Spot. "Right in the middle of this Harlem stuff he becomes Chief of Police."

Spot glared out the window, holding the tip of the cane in his belt loop again. "It's just a shiny badge and a new hat to cover that greasy fuck of a bald spot on his head," he said, his voice husky and low. Riley could see his reflection in the darkened window.

"But how'd he know about me?" Riley asked nervously.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" Spot snapped, turning away from the window to face Riley again. "But this is gonna mess _everything_ up. Once again, Cardoni, congratulations you won the fucking prize for being my biggest problem."

"Oh great, thanks Conlon! What'd I win? Another visit from Harlem, or more police interviews? _Oh_ how about some more bruises, or more solitary confinement? Because God knows I'm due for more!" Riley countered sarcastically, raising her voice. She didn't even remember standing up but she was now on her feet. "C'mon, Conlon, you're saying _this_ is going to mess everything up? Just in case you haven't realized it yet - everything is _already_ messed up!" She knew that getting angry would fuel him but she didn't care. "I've done everything you asked - I haven't spoken to _anybody_! NOW look whats happened!" She threw her arms in the air. "This isn't my fault. So don't you dare take it out on me!"

"Not your fault! YOU'RE HERE!" Spot yelled. "You showed up in Brooklyn and _that's all it took_! You've been nothing but a headache since I met you!" He spat, putting two fingers above his right eye near his temple. "A constant headache right _here_, sweetheart. Never going away; always getting worse, _always_ fucking with my head."

"Oh boohoo, Conlon, we all feel _so_ bad for you," Riley mocked him cynically. "You came here tonight and the second you find out I'm alright you immediately start pointing your finger at me!"

"So then let's get it over with," Spot took two steps forward, his glare powerful and equally petrifying. "Spit it out, Cardoni - what did you say to Devery?"

Jack must've felt the tension between them, so he stood between Riley and Spot to try and calm down his friend. "She didn't say anything to him, Spot, seriously."

"Bullshit," Spot chanced a glance away from Riley and glared up at Jack. "Don't talk about shit you don't know, Kelly. You weren't in the room with her, were ya?" Spot said angrily. "This is just the start of it," he pointed over Jack's shoulder to Riley. "She's going to be his excuse to keep an eye on us. She's not one of us, Cowboy - she could get scared and open that pretty little mouth of hers and screw us, and you know it."

"She's not gonna be a problem," Jack said, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "It's done, it's over with. She'll come back here and won't have to sleep at the Lodging House no more, right, Bonnie?"

Bonnie nodded her head quietly. Riley remembered how different she and Bonnie were - her friend hated confrontation, and she still feared Spot Conlon. Hell, everyone did.

"She's a liability," Spot sneered, staring up at Jack fiercely. "You know it - I know it. "Open your fucking eyes, Kelly! The _cops_ just brought her in!"

"No shit, and your boy got here in time to tell me and Bonnie about it so we got her out. I should be back in Manhattan but I was here, we got her, so it's over."

"It's not over," Spot shook his head, momentarily forgetting that Riley was in the room. "Devery's got her eye on her and he's threatening me and my boys. She's a problem, just like I always said she'd be. I was an idiot to think it'd be different."

"You're already acting like an idiot, Spot," Riley retorted. "Don't use _me_ as an excuse."

Riley felt that uncomfortable heaviness in her stomach... The same feeling that she always got when she knew that she had gone too far with the Brooklyn leader.

Spot pushed Jack out of the way and walked up to Riley, his body too close for comfort. The fierceness of his expression and the stiffness of his shoulders made her feel suddenly wary of her strength.

"Bedroom," Spot ordered through his teeth, his cheeks flushed with anger. "Now."

"Riley..." Bonnie nervously spoke her name.

"It's fine, Bonnie," Riley replied lowly, her eyes never leaving Spot's face. "The only way to get through to him is to argue with him. He doesn't know how to communicate any other way. Right, Conlon?"

A fire in his eyes flashed dangerously, then suddenly he had a hold of her arm. It wasn't a forceful grip, but enough that Riley wasn't going to fight it.

"Nobody touches this door," Spot demanded, mostly to Jack. "This is between me and Cardoni."

Bonnie stood up nervously, but Jack just rolled his eyes. Riley could hear him quietly reassuring Bonnie that everything was fine before the door was snapped shut and she was now alone in her old bedroom with a very angry Spot Conlon.

Bonnie had never seen Riley and Spot interact before, she wasn't surprised to know that Bonnie was concerned.

But Riley had no more time to concern herself with Bonnie. Spot's rough hands snapped her to her attention when she heard them locking her bedroom door.

Suddenly he was turned around and standing just a few feet in front of her. His stormy gray eyes startled her; there was something so mesmerizing about how powerful his gaze was. He held so much control, but his arrogance was bright in his eyes. Arrogance and his need for obedience.

"What," he growled, "did you tell him?"

"I didn't tell that man anything." Riley replied, holding her hands in fists to hide their shaking.

"What did you tell him?" Spot repeated the question, stepping even closer.

Riley was forced to step backwards. "I told him nothing!" She insisted. "I have nothing to hide, so stop looking at me like I'm another one of your problems that you need to take care of."

"But you are," Spot argued, his husky voice low, but loud enough to give her chills. "You have no idea -"

"No," Riley interrupted him. "Don't tell me I have no idea how difficult this is for you, or how angry you are, or how much you hate me. Just don't say it."

Spot let out a humorless laugh. "You are fucking unbelievable," he said, unable to pick where to start. "Sometimes I just want to shut you up, but you never learn, do you?"

"I didn't say anything to him!"

Spot shook his head. "Let's get one thing straight, kid," he began, tugging his hat further down his forehead. "I've talked to you about disrespecting me - or are you too dim to remember? Never disrespect me in front of my boys, and _never_ disrespect me in front of other leaders. What's the matter with you? Are you fucking crazy?"

"_You_ make me crazy!" Riley replied. "I know how pissed off you get, but I know how you think! You automatically think I'd rat on you, but I didn't tell Devery anything! I'm not that stupid - I know you'd murder me if I ever opened my mouth. Don't act like I forgot all those times you've threatened me before."

Spot contemplated her for a moment, his anger never diminishing. Then, after a moment, he finally spoke. "You say that you know how I think?" He asked, his voice monotone. Riley didn't even notice that the usual glimmer in his eyes was gone...

"Yes," she replied defiantly. "It's always the same thing, always the same ways to scare me..."

"Leave Brooklyn, Cardoni."

Riley's mouth snapped shut when she heard those two words spoken so boldly. They've talked about it before, always, but the argument was something she was used to.

This time... This time he seemed like a stranger. This time he was demanding it.

"I..." Riley tried speaking. She licked her lips, attempting to find her voice. "...you can't just..."

"I mean it, Riley." Spot said, his voice cold, his eyes dark like the ocean during a storm. "I can't protect you anymore. I can't afford to waste anymore time focusing on you."

"We - we've talked about this," Riley stammered. "Spot, I'm not going back to Staten Island. You know that. We've TALKED about this."

Spot strong hands suddenly took a hold of her shoulders, making her stop her rant and bite her lip. He leaned down to meet her eye to eye; the cruelness she saw in him was enough to steal her breath away.

"I can't pick you up and drag you out of Brooklyn," he said, his voice as low as a growl. "But I'll be _damned_ if my reputation is ruined by some dame like you. And I'll be damned if my position as a leader on these streets is threatened because of that same dame, just because she got herself mixed up with a life that she don't belong in."

Riley couldn't answer. She felt his warm hands continue to grip like steel on her upper arms; she felt lost staring into those deep eyes. She got the cold and dark feeling that she couldn't argue her way out of this...

She _had_ seen a different side of Spot Conlon in the past, but he wasn't going to give her any more chances to see it. That 'good' side of him was kept from her now. He was taking it all away. She knew that this was the only part of him he _wanted_ her to see now... As if everything from the past never existed...

That's when she knew that Spot was going to cut all ties with her. His eyes, the same ones that were so deep and told her so much before, were now void of all the old emotions. He looked ruthless, uncaring, and spiteful.

Riley didn't realize how long she had gone without speaking until Spot broke the silence again.

"You can move back in with Bonnie," Spot told her. "I can't stop you from doing that. But as far as you and my boys are concerned - you don't know us. As long as you keep your mouth shut about everything you've seen we will leave you alone," his eyes narrowed, "but if I hear that you try anything funny -and I _will_ hear about it- I will be forced to take care of it."

"And Harlem?" Riley asked bitterly, fighting her hardest to resist the sting of tears building in the back of her eyes. "_Jenkin_? What about him, huh? They fucking _know_ me, Conlon! They came after me!"

"You're too deeply involved," Spot answered darkly, releasing his grip on her arms. "Leave my streets, Cardoni, or stay and risk learning the hard way. Harlem and the police could use you against me now - I can't risk that. And I can't risk losing my concentration when you're around. This has gone far enough."

"Spot..." Riley tried to speak, barely above a whisper.

"You can't be on the back of my mind anymore," he said determinedly, ignoring her. "I'm at war on the streets with Harlem, and I have the cops watching me. I don't have time to worry about you anymore. This has gone on way too damn long. From now on – you don't know me."

Riley felt her cheeks burning up as her heart fought in her chest. She could feel the nerve endings in her fingers; her eyes stung and her breathing was shallow. Spot's lips were moving but she couldn't comprehend what he was saying. She didn't want to hear it... She couldn't...

Spot turned to leave, but stopped to face her one last time as if he forgot something.

"And Riley?"

Riley swallowed and glanced up at him, her lips slightly parted, trying to steady her breathing...

Then suddenly he moved closer and his mouth was by her ear; his breath tickling her skin, causing her to shiver.

"Remember the way you'd act whenever I kissed you?" He slowly breathed in her ear.

Riley was barely able to nod, her body felt numb... Her nerves were sensitive to everything around her.

"Remember that you were _mine_ first," he whispered more possessively, sounding like the old Spot for just a moment. "_I had you first._"

He straightened up and looked her in the eyes. Suddenly Riley was looking at the face of Spot Conlon, the boy she saw walking past the steps to her and Bonnie's apartment the first day she moved to Brooklyn. It was the look of someone with a reputation so dangerous and well known that he was infamous to everyone who walked the streets of Brooklyn. This was a stranger to her… He could change the emotions on his face so quickly that it scared her.

The cocky smirk that usually graced the corner of his lips wasn't there. And all too soon, he unlocked the door and walked out. Then the front door opened and closed, and there was silence.

Riley's legs finally became too weak for her to stand on. She felt like something was ripped from inside of her; the silence was deafening. She sat on the side of the bed and held onto the bedpost as hard as she could, afraid that if she let go everything would go spinning around her.

She didn't look up to see if Jack or Bonnie were in the doorway. The only thing going through her head was repeated over and over again: _this can't be happening, this can't be happening, please god, this CAN'T be happening..._

_

* * *

_

**Hey so sorry for the delay in updating! I typed this on my phone believe it or not, so it took me forever and my computer is stupid and I haven't had time, so many excuses but none of them count – I'm just very sorry! I had trouble with this chapter because I wrote myself into a corner and didn't know what to do. I'm not sure if I'm happy with it. Actually, I contemplated posting it at all, but I kept you waiting too long! Feedback would be greatly appreciated! Don't worry – it's definitely not over. Thanks for reading and thank you SO much for your patience!**


	34. Two Weeks

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Newsies, but I own the others.**

**A/N – had some problems with the formatting. I'm crossing my fingers, but hopefully it's not that messed up!**

* * *

Brooklyn had been Riley's shot at happiness; a way to live her own life, to escape the fear of living the way her parents had wanted, with an arrainged marriage or being condemmed to boring dinner parties every other night with the other wealthy people her family associated with.

Brooklyn had been the best thing that had ever happened to Riley. Atleast that was her thought when she first arrived... But then she met the sexy, self-assured and dangerous young man that had an overwhelming and strange power over the streets of this borough. Riley's life had been in shambles after that, but he was the one continual presence she had. He had become her refuge, her only security, despite all of the mind games and advances that came with him. But now... Now everything was different. Riley could barely recognize herself.

She didn't think the actions of Spot would affect her this much. Every waking moment was a struggle of memories. Every night of sleep was a difficulty. There was no escape from him... No escape from Spot Conlon and the pain he had caused.

It had been two weeks.

At times Riley felt strangely invisible. Sometimes she wished she was nonexistant so maybe the hurt would fade away and she could wake up feeling like herself again. Everytime she closed her eyes she could see him. Everything reminded her of Spot Conlon. She'd eat an apple, for example, and she'd be reminded of the fruit cart down the street she'd visit by the water. Or she'd look at her closet and remember when Spot took her to the apartment to get some of her things to bring back to the Lodging House after she witnessed that horrible murder. Her belongings had been left infront of the door to the apartment one night. It looked like all traces of Riley had been removed from the Brooklyn Lodging House, everything from her clothes to the small hairpins she'd kept in the upstairs bathroom.

She didn't feel like Riley anymore. What was the point in going out? What was the point in dressing up? Why bother?

Bonnie had offered numerous times to bring Riley to Manhattan with her to see Jack and his newsboys, but Riley knew better... The few times she had seen Jack he had been awkward and distant. She knew that all the newsboys in the city had heard of Spot's ordeal with her. She knew that it was common knowledge that she was forbidden; not like before when she 'belonged' to the Brooklyn leader, but because she was banished from that life completely. Visiting Manhattan would be putting those boys in the crossfire, and despite Bonnie's protests, Riley knew that she wouldn't be welcomed.

Her friendship with Bonnie had suffered greatly after their fight over Spot so long ago, the one that led Riley to live with him in the first place. Bonnie realized that she had overreacted, and Riley did forgive her, but she couldn't find the strength to discuss everything with her friend. It was too soon.

Riley hadn't done much of anything after the night that Spot told her he was done with her for good. She didn't go out, she didn't laugh, and she had run out of tears after crying to herself that night. She didn't know if the tears were caused by her sudden vulnerability, or by fear of what was going to come next. But she knew that she cried mostly for the loss of Spot and the power he had over her heart... she hated that. She hated being so weak.

On top of everything else, Riley had realized she had another problem - she'd grown accustomed to reading the newspaper every morning while she lived at the Lodging House. So a few days after that dreadful night Riley had gotten angry enough to find the newsie who sold by her apartment. It was Ryder, one of the boys that had gotten beat up by Spot for speaking to her when she first started staying with them. He made no eye contact, and Riley didn't speak a word to him. But sure enough, Spot was told about he encounter, because starting the next day the newspaper would be sitting on floor of the hallway infront of her door. It had been this way for over a week. The message was clear - Riley couldn't even approach a Brooklyn newsboy to buy a newspaper.

This made Riley so angry that she shook. How sweet - Spot gave her a newspaper free of charge each morning. But no, it wasn't sweet. It showed that he truly wanted her away. It was a slap in the face. Did he think she was buying a newspaper to try making contact with him again? She hated that he thought so little of her now.

Riley Cardoni was now considered one of the hundreds of girls that had been thrown away by Spot Conlon. It was the worst feeling in the world; a pain a million times stronger than the time that Harlem boy had bruised her face.

And what about Jenkin? Would he leave her alone because Spot no longer cared for her wellbeing? Would Jenkin use her anger to his advantage and try to get her to work for him again, getting Spot in trouble with the law and out of the way? If Harlem confronted Riley, she'd have no protection from Brooklyn anymore. Spot just didn't care for her.

_Two weeks_. It had felt like months. Two weeks of staying mostly inside the apartment, ignoring the stares of pity from Bonnie and avoiding all conversations about what had happened that night.

Riley sat on the corner of her bed and sighed. She felt numb; confused and unsure of what to do next.

Brooklyn had been her chance at freedom. No matter what, she wouldn't escape back to Staten Island. So what happens now? How do girls recover when they are hurt this badly, despite how strong they used to be?

And the most important question in Riley's mind - how does a girl forget the eyes, the lips, the touch of Spot Conlon?

She thought that there had been a deeper side to him... a side that he fought so hard to keep hidden... but it wasn't real.

Riley closed her eyes tight and tried for the millionth time to clear her mind. The downside of knowing Spot Conlon was his ability to get into your head, and now Riley was suffering the consequences.

* * *

After two weeks of his absence, Riley got a random surge of spite. One day she had been a mess, but then the next morning she decided she was sick of sitting in her room, going over everything that had happened. She was tired of feeling so tired all of the time.

So she took a bath as usual, but this time she relished the feeling of scrubbing herself clean. She admired her reflection in the mirror, glad that her eyes were no longer blurred and puffy. She brushed her long hair and let it dry so the locks hung down her back in their usual waves.

It felt good to stretch her arms in the air. She threw open her curtains and sighed in relief as she felt the warm September air. The summer had been brutal, and it was still going strong, but a soothing breeze gave relief to the heat.

Riley picked out a dress that was a very pale purple. It had been kept in her closet here while she lived over in the Lodging House. A band of dark purple silk was stitched around the waist. The dress was pretty but not too elegant. It was simple enough to wear out, and it was a perfect color to compliment her brown hair and eyes. For the first time in weeks, Riley felt attractive again.

Bonnie was sitting outside when Riley stepped through the door. Unsurprisingly, Jack was with her. The walk from Manhattan to Brooklyn was not an easy task, so his frequent appearance spoke wonders to how he felt about Bonnie. They were so different, but their innocent love was enough to make them forget the impossibilities. Riley envied that.

The charming and flirtatious smile on Jack's face disappeared when he looked up from talking to Bonnie. "Riley," he said, half from surprise and half as a form of greeting.

Bonnie spun around and smiled brightly. "Riles! Finally!" She beamed and stood up. "Look at you - you're back!"

"And better than ever," Riley smiled charmingly. It may have been a lie, but it was easier to act like her former confident self than to show everyone she was still mending. Especially Jack. Who knows what he's told Spot...

Jack's elbow was in the air as he nervously ran his fingers through the hair on the back of his head, his eyes pointed to the steps. "Hey so Riley, I uhh..." His hand fell to his side, his eyes chancing a glance at her, "I just wanna say-"

"Cut it out, Jack," Riley interrupted him, fearing the heaviness that was coming to her heart again if he brought up Spot. "No apologies, no talking about it, no pity. Please, I just want to focus on things other than... _him_." She couldn't say his name. That wasn't a good thing.

Jack pursed his lips, a habit he has whenever he's thinking, and nodded his head at the same time. A friendly smirk came to his face. He secured his cowboy hat onto his head. "Your wish is my command, Miss Cardoni," he said, getting a giggle from Bonnie. Jack and Riley used to act very proper with each other, back when they were friendlier. "So," he continued breezily, letting the cowboy hat hang down his back again, "where ya headed?"

Riley took a few steps down the stairs and looked around the street. "I don't know," she answered.

"Well we can come with you," Bonnie immediately suggested. "Jack is done selling, right?"

"Right," he answered, too quickly.

Riley recognized what they were doing. Bonnie's voice was pitched too high, and Jack didn't seem too good at playing along. They were scared for her safety. Or scared of where she may go.

"I'm fine, but thank you," Riley told them politely. "I'm just going to the fruit carts down the street or something. See you later!"

And without waiting for a response, Riley started walking, checking to see if they were following. Bonnie and Jack stayed on the steps, but Jack's expression spoke so loudly that Riley had to fight the hurt down again. He knew how serious this parting had been between her and Spot, and this war was too deadly for her to be unprotected by the Brooklyn leader.

Riley knew where she was going. Unfortunately, her stomach was fighting her the whole way. She was going to the fruit cart she always loved to visit. The feeling of butterflies was so fierce that it felt like they'd spread through her whole body. This was her first time venturing out on the streets away from the apartment. She feared that she'd see him, but her heart secretly begged for him to immerge.

She was a block or two away from her destination when she saw someone. The girl was selling her last paper. Riley stood still on the busy street, and after a moment the girl noticed her.

Blush immediately looked nervous.

Blush was Riley's only real friend when she was living at the Lodging House. The lack of greeting she received made her angry.

"Blush!" Riley hollered when she saw Blush turning to walk away.

"Please just go home, Riley," Blush mumbled, her lips barely moving as she started walking.

"You won't even talk to me?" Riley asked, running to catch up with her. "It's _me_, Blush!"

Blush scanned the street, then suddenly her hand was gripping Riley's shoulder and pulling her into an alley and out of the crowded street.

"If you tell _anybody_ that we're talking right now I'll get kicked out of Brooklyn, you understand?" Blush whispered, her eyes darting to the opening of the alley to the street, watching for anybody that may see them.

"I understand," Riley responded weakly, a shake in her voice. It was overwhelming; this girl was a connection to Spot and it hurt Riley to think how far away he felt from her now.

"We got raided, you know," Blush said, almost accusingly, once she felt comfortable enough that they weren't being watched.

This surprised Riley out of her quietness. "For what?"

"I think as just a message," Blush answered quickly. "They had nothing to find, obviously. They found some girls camisole in Spot's room, and I think they thought it could be proof that you were staying with us, but that argument was stopped pretty quick. It wasn't yours, and girls clothes in his room isn't a surprise. Spot got pissed, but the storage room was clear so Devery knows you're not living there."

Riley's mouth was suddenly dry. A piece of girls clothing in Spot's room... Her mind was trying to deny what she was hearing. "...a-a camisole?"

"Well yeah," Blush said obviously, turning her gaze away from the street and to Riley's face. "Most of his girls are idiots, I'm not surprised one of them would forget to get fully dressed after-"

"_Stop_," Riley cut her off, shutting her eyes tight. "Please, just... just stop."

Blush must've realized how insensitive she had been to say those things, because she instantly became nicer.

"I'm sorry," Blush apologized, "for everything," and much to Riley's surprise, Blush gave her a tight hug.

After recovering from the surprise embrace, Riley loosely crossed her arms across her chest and stared at the ground for a moment. Finally, she got the nerve to look back up at the newsgirl. "I'm nervous," Riley whispered, finally admitting it out loud. "I never thought... I never thought he'd..."

"Me neither," Blush said, knowing what Riley was going to say. "_None_ of us did. He went through so much trouble to make sure none of his boys touched you, but now it's so much more than that. My brother is just as confused as I am."

Blush's brother, Spike, was Spot's second-in-command. If he was confused, then that was proof that Riley had reason to feel hurt. Spot's closest friend didn't even understand it.

Riley must've looked conflicted, because Blush sighed and leaned against the wall. "I know that he felt something for you, Riley."

"I didn't sleep with him, you know," Riley said suddenly. She wanted to make it known that she had at least some decency left... something that Spot wanted but never got from her.

For a moment Blush looked surprised. Then she smirked. "Hun, there's something you should know. If Conlon wanted to, he would've done it. He had this control over himself around you that I've never seen before."

"What do you mean?" Riley asked.

"Well, see, he isn't really a gentleman..."

Riley snorted a spiteful laugh, but Blush ignored it.

"What I mean is," Blush continued, "he gets girls throwing themselves at him on a daily basis. Before you showed up he'd have his fun then find it funny when they'd devote themselves to him. They'd hang around his boys just to be around him. He never _cared_ if anybody else touched them because he'd have someone better waiting in line just to spend the night with him."

"Blush..." Riley said her name in an unsteady warning, feeling the heaviness in her chest again. She didn't want to hear this.

"Listen to me!" Blush interjected, trying to make her point. "He didn't do that when you were around. I told you that when I first met you - he never had another girl in his room when you were there, remember? And the boys weren't even allowed to _look_ at you the wrong way."

"It doesn't matter now," Riley said, shaking her head. "None of it matters. He got me more involved in this thing with Harlem, and then he took away his promise to keep me safe. He knows I can't and _won't_ go back to living with my parents. And now he's back to doing what he's always done."

Blush looked ashamed to admit it. "Yeah, he's back to his old self," she rolled her eyes, "new girl upstairs every other night.."

"Blush, I'm serious!" Riley yelled again, covering her ears.

"...BUT I think he's just trying to forget you!" Blush finished saying, her voice louder so Riley could hear her.

"Well obviously that wasn't very hard!" Riley argued, uncovering her ears and throwing her hands down to her sides again. "And that's not the point. He said I was in danger! The girls in his bed don't matter because we never had a relationship. I knew who he was, I knew it was _impossible_," Riley paused to bite her lip, running her fingers through her long hair. "He just knew how to get to me, that's all. I hated him most of the time anyway... except..." Riley's voice dwindled, her expression weakened. "Except..."

"Except you _didn't_ hate him," Blush answered for her. "And I know that he never hated you, but he sure as hell wanted to. I mean, the way he was so protective of you..."

"I don't want to hear it," Riley said, throwing her palm up to stop her. "He convinced me that I was involved, then tossed me out to fend for myself. He doesn't care at all, Blush."

"I think he does, but he just doesn't like it," Blush insisted. "He didn't like the way he felt. It's not like him to give a damn about anyone like you. Didn't you notice that? Couldn't you tell?"

Blush was right. Spot had told Riley that himself. He hated that Riley was always on the back of his mind... He said he couldn't control it. But none of it was true, Riley concluded. He hadn't meant a thing. If he meant that, then how could he forget her so easily?

And if she was always on Spot's mind, then how could he leave her like this? She hadn't heard from him in weeks. She could be beaten to a pulp on the side of the road by Jenkin trying to get information out of her, and Spot wouldn't even know it. He wouldn't even bat an eye at her pain. He was above caring about her now.

Riley ran her fingers through her hair again, shaking her head and fighting the angry moisture coming to her eyes. "He doesn't give a damn. And you know what? It's time for me to return the favor. He was nothing but a headache to me, Blush. _I_ protected _him_. I saw a murder and I _protected_ him!"

"I know, girl, but..."

"**No**, I kept my mouth shut - _that was the deal!_" Riley yelled. She took a deep breath through her nose, her fists clenched, attempting to calm down. "I'm done keeping silent for that bastard," she concluded through her clenched teeth.

Blush's eyes widened. "No, Riley, don't do anything stupid!" She panicked, seeing the anger in Riley. "Think about this! He'll _kill_ you!"

Before Riley could respond, another voice interrupted their conversation. "**Blush!**"

Both girls turned to the entrance to the street. "Spike!" Blush gasped at the sight of her brother. Riley swore under her breath.

"You're leaving. _Now_." Spike demanded, the disappointment in his sister radiating in his eyes.

Blush glanced worryingly at Riley. "But Spike-"

"_NOW!_" He bellowed to his sister. "Get out of here!"

Without another word, Blush dipped her head and swept past her brother, melting into the crowd on the street. Spike was no Spot Conlon, but he was his right hand man. He was a scary guy. Riley steeled herself and returned his stare, her eyes narrowed as he glared at her. How long had he been standing there?

"He _will_ kill you, you know," Spike confirmed menacingly after much thought.

Great. He had heard their conversation, and of course his top priority was protecting his leader.

Anger flared inside of Riley. How dare he threaten her? Hadn't they done enough already? She was irrational and no longer in control of her emotions. "As far as I'm concerned," Riley seethed, "he's _already_ approved of my death sentence. Why should I do him anymore favors?"

Spike took a step deeper into the alley. "Listen girly, keep your mouth shut. He let you off easy. He gave you mercy by letting you live with what you know."

"You expect me to be thankful?" Riley asked incredulously.

Spike studied her for another moment, then stepped even closer. He lowered his voice to sound gentler. "If you talk, not only will he get revenge, but he will be disappointed in you; he decided you were trustworthy enough to leave alone. You _should_ be thankful. Is this really what you want him to think of you in the end?"

Riley hated the way his words made her feel. Spike knew that Riley had seen a rare side of Spot, or else he wouldn't have brought up how Spot would think of her. He brought up a good point, but Riley didn't want to let it go.

"I didn't - I -" Riley stuttered. She was too conflicted. She took another breath to control herself then stood up a bit straighter, trying to get her words together. "I didn't want any of this," she finally spoke. "I don't care what he thinks of me anymore," with every word she felt more spiteful. "Bottom line, I have to take care of myself and clean up the mess he put me in."

"So is that some kind of threat?" Spike asked, deadly calm.

"Take it however you want it, Spike." Riley said, feeling the rush of adrenaline through her body as she fearfully stood up for herself.

Spike narrowed his eyes and pointed a finger to Riley's chest. "Be smart and remember what Conlon told you," he cautioned her. "You don't know us and we don't know you. End of story."

Riley deepened her glare as she stared up at him. "Get your ink stained finger _off_ my damn dress or I'll scream," Riley warned him. "Your hands are dirty and I happen to _like_ this dress."

Spike slowly removed his finger and studied her, trying to analyze her threats. Then suddenly he turned around and made to walk out of the alley.

Riley was about to breathe a sigh of relief when Spike turned around to say one more thing. "Are you really going to talk?"

No. She wasn't that stupid, right? But why comfort him? "Does it matter what I do?" Riley responded, coyly raising her eyebrow.

"He won't want to break that pretty little face of yours," Spike said, the danger in his voice gone and replaced with...pity? "He won't be happy about it," Spike continued in that sad voice, "it'll kill him… but he'll do it if he has to."

The resentment in Riley's expression disappeared. Spike seemed sincere when he spoke of Spot... he was his best friend...

But then suddenly Spike was gone. Riley stood in the alley, shaken, for several minutes. This one simple walk had turned into so much more. What the hell was she doing? Was she really so scorned that she'd risk her life to hurt Spot back?

Forget the fruit - Riley just wanted to go home.

Two blocks away from her house, her world practically turned upside down. She felt him before she saw him. Like out of a dream, turned nightmare, Spot was walking down the street.

The sight of him almost caused a shudder through her whole body. The weeks without seeing him had been long, but the butterflies in her stomach were merciless. He was walking the opposite way from Riley on the other side of the street.

He had not seen her.

Riley could see the superior and infamously dangerous look in his sparkling clear eyes. He must've been coming back from selling, but several of his newsboys were with him on the busy street. Passerbies were glancing at him; people made sure they were out of the way of the young man with such a deadly reputation.

Spot's sleeves were rolled up to expose his strong tanned arms. The cut muscles were defined as his hand gripped tighter around the pretty girl beside him... his hand casually holding her waist...

Riley snapped her eyes forward and continued walking; her head was held high but she shifted her long wavy hair to one side so her face could be partially hidden. Her pace quickened - anything to get away from him. They had the whole street between them and if she walked quickly maybe he wouldn't see her...

But then Riley felt the familiar chill down her back and knew without seeing him that he was watching her. Riley refused to look back. Her fists were clenched so tight that they hurt. She focused on walking, but every nerve in her body recognized his presence.

Seeing Spot was hard enough, but seeing his strong arm holding the waist of another girl was enough to knock the wind out of her.

The faster she walked, the faster her eyes brimmed. She was so angry that the tears were unstoppable, but she refused to blink them away. Her sight became blurred, her eyes stinging painfully.

Her back tingled. It was so familiar; she used to love the feeling, knowing someone as powerful as Spot was giving her his undivided attention. However, this was different. The feeling of betrayal was unfounded but Riley couldn't help it. She walked faster, her lip sore from biting it so hard.

She felt his beautiful eyes following her until she turned the corner to her apartment. Once out of his sight, the presence of him disappeared.

That was when it became too much.

The last thing Riley remembered was Jack's arms wrapped around her, and Bonnie's concerned voice as they brought her inside.

Truth was, these streets belonged to Spot Conlon, and Riley was no longer welcome. Harlem wanted her help to bring down the leader of Brooklyn, and they've already proved that violence was used to get what they want. And it was even more frightening because she wasn't protected anymore. Spot had made that clear.

And scariest of all, Riley knew that she had threatened Spot in front of his second-in-command.

Brooklyn was no longer Riley's chance at freedom - it was the end of it. Her intuition was telling her that something was coming, and the strong arms of Spot weren't there to hold her when it came. In fact, Spot's arms should be what she feared most.

She feared him, but she wanted him... she wanted to feel safe again... she wanted everything that she could no longer have.

* * *

**Hello, thank you for the reviews! I'm sorry I didn't keep up with replying to all of them this time, but I promise I'll start again with reviews for this chapter. Also, huge huge thanks for the reviewers who I can't reply to! I can't tell you how thankful I am! **

**This chapter was kind of showing the confusion Riley is in after not having Spot around. Not the longest thing I've ever written, but it had to be done. Things will pick up a lot sooner then you think, I guarantee it! So what do you think...? Your feedback is what I go by when I write! Thanks a million!**


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